18041 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
9«7 
young cuttle, is often destructive of great num- 
bers of the fly. Still of late years this insect 
has so decreased that it is not greatly feared nor 
regarded where formerly ii was very destructive. 
Rust and smut are vegetable parasites; both 
are in good measure prevented by soaking the 
seed in strong brine containing blue vitriol 
(sulphate of copper) in solution. Grain thus 
soaked and washed is easily separated from the 
light grains and chess, and it is usually rolled in 
dry fresh slaked lime subsequently, and allowed 
to lie a clay or two before sowing. Bearded 
varieties escape the attacks of the midge better 
than the bald kinds. For early sowing, the 
choice of seed is large, and a novice at wheat 
raising may well selert f.ny favorite variety in 
his neighborhood ; for late sowing, however, the 
Mediterranean is preferable from its quicker 
maturing. "Wheat ought never to follow anoth- 
er cereal crop. Everywhere, except on the vir- 
gin soils of the West, whereon no deterioration 
has been observed after successive years of crop- 
ping without manure, the soil should be well 
manured. Turning under of a clover lay in 
the summer, and giving a dressing of 10 to 20 
loads of fine manure to the acre after plowing 
in August or September, the grain to be har- 
rowed in with the manure, if sown broadcast, 
or lightly plowing the manure under if the grain 
is to be put in by the drill (which is preferable), 
is a practice which will give good results. 
The necessity for undcrdraining wheat lands, 
and for giving the soil depth and pulverulence, 
if wheal raising is to be pursued profitably, is 
the result of the experience of good farmers 
throughout the world ; the best farmers in this 
country arc falling into line with their brethren. 
The tile drains should be 4 feet deep and 25 to 
40 feet apart. Round tiles with collars are best. 
The heaviest clays/by thorough draining, make 
strong and excellent clover and wheat lands, 
after they are thus brought into fine tilth. The 
clay loams are, however, preferable soils, as 
grain is less liable to winter-kilL An applica- 
tion of two bushels to two-and-a-half of salt to 
the acre, has an excellent etfect. It may be ap- 
plied before sowing or in the spring. Sown 
early, the tendency of the*plant is to "tiller," 
that is to make many stems from a single root. 
And thus it happens that a bushel and a half of 
grain sown early in September is fully equal to 
two bushels sown in October, or two and a half 
sown in spring. A root of winter barley now on 
the tables of the American Agriculturist has 56 
bearing stalks and over 1,500 kernels (by esti- 
mate). These facts exhibit one of the great ad- 
vantages of drilling in the seed : a smaller 
quantity is required, and as each plant has plen- 
ty of room, if it have time, to tiller, the saving 
of seed may amount to a peck, or even half a 
bushel in many cases, to the acre. The other 
advantages — the evenness of the stand, the equal 
depth at which the seed is laid, the evenness of 
the maturing of the crop, ought not to be over- 
looked in deciding how to put in wheat, espec- 
ially as the increase of the yield may be put 
down at from two to eight bushels per acre of 
drilled over broadcast wheat. 
The Garden in Autumn. 
In this country but little is done in autumn 
to prepare for very early vegetables next spring, 
except by professional and market gardeners. 
Cabbages and cauliflowers may be had very 
early by sowing them this month, and when the 
plants get about three inches high, transplant 
them to a cold frame to4;eep through the win- 
ter. Spinach sowed this month may be kept 
through the winter by a slight covering of Straw 
and will give very early spring greens. The 
prickly-seeded variety is considered the most 
hardy. Kale, of the variety called the Siberian or 
German-greens, can be sown now : it is grown in 
the same manner as cabbages, and will generally 
endure the winter without any covering. Seeds 
of the Brown Dutch and Brown Winter-cabbage 
Lettuce are often sown with the late spinach. 
The plants will be ready in spring for early 
transplanting. Radishes and eaiiv turnips may 
be sown early in September, to give a late 
supply, and winter radish will perfect itself. 
The Grape Vine in September. 
If the vino is allowed to grow on, unchecked, 
there will be, at the end of every shoot, a por- 
tion of very immature wood. If the growth is 
stopped in September, the energies of the plant, 
which would have been expended in prolonging 
the shoot, are directed to maturing the remain- 
ing wood, as well as to perfecting the buds which 
are to produce the fruit the following year. 
The statement which has been made, that cer- 
tain of our native grapes can not be successful- 
ly trained upon the arm and spur system, are 
doubtless owing to the tact that the system is 
not fully carried nut. The success of this meth- 
od o! pruning, in good measure depends upon 
stopping the upright growth of the canes at 
three or four leaves iibove the last bunch of 
grapes, and in keeping the laterals thoroughly 
pinched in. Both these operations are necessa- 
ry to secure well developed huds to produce the 
next season's fruiting canes. Moreover, this 
early stopping of the growth has a tendency to 
cause the roots to mature sooner, and to be bet- 
ter prepared to endure the winter. When rot 
appears, it has usually done its work before the 
present month, but if any defective berries are 
seen upon a brand), they should be removed. 
»-4 — l» — —» 
A Floral Philippic. 
— • — 
Editor American Agriculturist: — You advo- 
cate raising flowers and ornamental vines. This 
is all very well in its place, I suppose ; but 
tastes differ. And is not the thing sometimes 
overdone ? For instance, in one neighbors' gar- 
dens, I saw great quantities of Convolvulus arven- 
sis. [See note.] Along the fence was a flaunting 
mass of Saponaria officinalis. With great zeal and 
success, too, he was growing the Lappa major, 
raising seeds for a new supply next year. This 
plant was introduced from Europe, and has 
splendid, tropical looking leaves ; hence, per- 
haps, its popularity. It seems hardy enough to 
go through the winter without protection. Its 
mature heads are often used to deck the tails of 
cows and sheep, and the manes of horses. 
Another farmer across the way has gone into 
the cultivation of Ltucantliemum vulgaris. This, 
I admit, is a showy flower, with its golden cen- 
tre and diverging snowy rays ; but then my 
friend overdoes the thing, growing them by the 
acre. He says that not only is the plant beauti- 
ful to the eye, but it improves the milk of the 
cows who feed upon it I never could "see it" 
in that light ; but he is a man of remarkable 
taste. Not content with this, he has added the 
purplish pink blossoms of the Cirsium arvense. 
This plant is armed with spears against the ag- 
gressions of man and beast, and is little likely 
to be disturbed by either. The flowers are fra- 
grant, and the plant is hardy and easily dissem- 
inated by seeds and extension of the roots. 
Borne of his neighbors think it is disseminated 
a little too fast to make it considered choice. 
But I can not describe all tli<- dowers being 
raised around ine; such as the Verbascum Tltap- 
■ ««, tall, symmetric ill, i| Qowerstalk resembling 
the far-famed u itury Planl ; Rumex, Atekptos, 
Plantago, Polygonum, lianunculus, Taraxacum, 
Inula, and so on. They are grown near fences, 
stone heaps, and along water-courses. None 
can deny that they give a certain wild, free-and- 
easy look to one's homestead. It is an easy 
matter to raise them, and sn s;ivi: a world of 
trouble to the proprietor. Yet I hone tly doubt 
whether it is wise to devote so much of one's 
land to mere floral embellishment. These fancy- 
things will soon occupy the whole of one's farm, 
and I don't believe that would pay. At any 
rate, the plants I have mentioned are getting to 
be so common as to be a little vulgar. Why 
not give us something new ? Cekes. 
lit Is evident that our correspondent does not like flowers, 
or else he menus to hit Bomcbody. Perhaps our readers can 
better understand his motives If we supply the common 
names to 1 lie plants of which he has given iiic botanical ones: 
Convolvulus arremtx is Bindweed; Saponaria offl&nallato 
Bouncing Bet; Lappa major, nnrdock; Leucanlntmvm, 
Ox-eye Daisy; Clrxlitm arvense, Canada Thistle; Verba*- 
cum is Mullein ; Sumex includes Yellow Dock, and Red. 
Sorrel; Plantago Is Plantain; Polygonum, Smart-weed; 
Ranunculiui. lluttercnp; Taraxacum, Dandelion; and Inula 
is Elecampane.— Eds.] 
•-• ■»» •-» . 
What Currants Shall I Plant? 
This question will doubtless be asked by 
many, for notwithstanding the great ravages of 
the "new currant worm" in some localities, the 
currant will continue to be a favorite fruit. 
The autumn is the time to strike cuttings, as 
nearly a year is gained over those cut and set in 
the spring. Seven cuttings out of ten will grow 
with the most indifferent treatment, and with 
care, every cutting will make a plant. Direc- 
tions will be given in the Calendar at the prop- 
er time. The catalogues have lists of many va- 
rieties with high sounding names, given by cul- 
tivators of repute. Having had some experience, 
and large observation with these new varieties, 
we have come to the conclusion that most of 
them may be stricken out as worthless; by 
which is meant that they do not present any 
qualities superior to the old and standard vari- 
eties. Our selection would be confined to three 
varieties : Red Dutch, Versailles and White 
Grape. The Red Dutch has the true currant 
flavor in greater perfection than any other, but 
in size of bunch and berry it is exceeded by the 
Versailles, which is less acid than most of the 
red varieties, and is a berry which will give gen- 
eral satisfaction. The White Grape is a fine 
fruit and is larger than the White Dutch. The 
new seedlings recently sent out from Europo 
present peculiarities in color, etc., but none of 
them are better than those here enumerated. 
When a better red currant than the Versailles 
or a better white one than the White Grape is 
produced our readers shall know it. 
~- — ♦- .-.. . 
The Hollyhock. — It often happens that a 
fine sort is obtained which it is desirable to per- 
petuate. This can be done in two ways : by 
cuttings and by dividing the root. If bottom 
heat is available, cuttings may be made of the 
strong shoots which appear at the base of the 
flower stalks. The cuttings need to be kept in 
a close atmosphere until they strike. Strong 
plants may be divided as soon as out of flower. 
Take up the roots and part them so that each 
section has a share of roots. Give a shady place, 
and in spring, plant where they are to flower. 
