86 
WAY TO GROW CORN WITHOUT MANURE. 
that from the prepared seed had finer ears, ' 
and also a greater number of grains, than those 
of the unprepared seed. 2d. The bailey : 
every ear of the prepared seed bore four j 
columns, and more than double the number of | 
grains, while the ears of the unprepared bar- j 
ley had only two columns, and less grain in I 
every column. 3d. The plants of the prepared 
maize were infinitely finer than those that had 
not been prepared. Certificate dated Vienna, 
June 24, 1829, and signed — Steiningee, 
ZlTTEL, SCHISKA." 
Cert. 2. " The undersigned affirm, that on 
having examined the grain and after-menlioned 
plants prepared by him, on comparing them with 
those sown in the same field, but unprepared, 
they found — 1st. That the hemp was higher, 
and the branches better furnished with seed. 
2d. The Turkish wheat had more ears. 3d. 
The buck-wheat was more than three feet 
high, and full of grain. 4th. The wheat, rye, 
barley, and oats, had finer and a greater num- 
ber of columns, larger ears, and were better 
furnished with grain. 5th. The clover was 
beyond comparison finer, and better furnished 
with shoots, and with roots two or three times 
as thrifty. The disk of the sunflower was 
more than double the usual diameter ; the red 
cabbages had finer heads ; the cauliflowers 
fuller flowers ; the cranes-bill and cucumbers 
were much richer, and yielded abundant fruit; 
while those, where the seed had not undergone 
the preparation, only yielded a few stunted 
plants ; the fruit rotted and fell off. Certified 
at Vienna, October 9th, 1829, by Jean Nep 
Riethofer, and others." 
These show that the attempt was made in 
1829, and, to some extent answered the pur- 
pose. Among a number of certificates, we will 
select one of the produce of this invention, in 
1842 ; in which it is declared that — 
Cert. 11. " The undersigned testify to hav- 
ing examined the crops treated by the discovery 
of Mr. Francis Bickes without manure, both 
in fields and gardens, consisting of oats, barley, 
spring and winter wiieat, maize, potatoes, rye- 
grass, white and red clover, Lucerne, Swedish 
clover, flax, hemp, millet, and Madia sativa. 
1st. A field much mixed with sand, and so 
exhausted that the proprietors had not been 
able to cultivate it, was sown with wheat, 
which succeeded so well, that it equalled and 
even surpassed the produce of other fields of 
good soil and manured as usual. 2d. Four 
acres, called Eabenberghold's ground, were 
sown with oats and barley, two acres each. 
This field was in such a state of exhaustion 
that the proprietors offered it gratuitously to 
Mr. Bickes. These crops were much finer than 
those of the surrounding fields. 3d. The field 
sown with maize was of a varied and sandy 
bottom, and, in the memory of man. had never 
received the least manure ; but in no place do 
we find maize in such a flourishing state, not 
even in fortunate years or in manured fields ; 
each plant bears three, four, and live stems, 
with as many or more ears on each stem. 4th. 
In the district called the Garden, the soil is 
stony and indifferent, and until now lias only 
been hoed ; but all here flourished with extra- 
ordinary vigor, such as is seldom seen even in 
the best years. Mr. Bickes offered a Prussian 
dollar to each and every person who could 
show him finer grain from the most fertile and 
well manured ground. It is worthy of remark 
that the barley contained many more grains in 
each column, and many plants bore forty-five 
stalks. Wheat was so productive that the 
chaff-cap enclosed four and even five grains 
each. It was not uncommon to see potato 
plants with thirty stalks. The maize had 
generally four or five stents, and each stem a 
corresponding number of ears : one plant bore 
fourteen ears, and another six ears on the 
principal stem. In the garden was a ditch 
filled with sand from the Ehine, which Mr. 
Bickes planted w r ith vines, one stalk of hemp 
and one plant of potato, and he also sowed 
barley and spring wheat. The whole pre- 
sented extreme vigor, such as was not equalled 
in the best fields. The hemp had obtained the 
height of ten feet, and was still growing. 
The wheat contained four and five grains in 
each chaff-cap. The oats produced, in one 
plant, twenty-six stalks, and the ears in equal 
abundance. The results of this year, as well 
asthe preceding, are such that, notwithstanding 
the unheard-of drought of this year, they have 
removed from amongst the inhabitants of our 
community the least doubt of the value of Mr. 
Bickes' discovery, and that it possesses powers 
which no manure has ever attained, even in 
good years, and with the most fertile grounds. 
Thus our testimony is given out of respect to 
the truth ; and in faith of it we subjoin our 
signatures. — Lorge, B. Bcsch, Jon., Paul 
Hofel, Land Proprietors. Castel, 20th Au- 
gust, 1842." 
It would be useless to multiply certificates ; 
they fully bear out all that has been said of 
this gentleman's inventions ; and all we wish 
to affirm here is, that with such evidence 
before us, and placed in such official shape, it 
would be an act of insanity to reject any pro- 
posal for a fair trial ; and we are glad to see 
that many influential farmers are putting Mr. 
Bickes to the proof, by giving him an oppor- 
tunity of sowing portions of their own land 
with prepared wheat. Mr. Bickes now of- 
fers to sow spring and garden crops for any 
one who will go to the expense; and those who, 
feeling a deep interest in the advancement of 
our means of growing corn, that neglect this 
challenge, will have much to answer for. We 
