94 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
vegetable matter, as a kind of compost; these 
methods of using it have been abandoned, as 
improper; which should be the result according 
to the theory. 
According to this theory, there should be no 
disadvantage from using lime, (so called) much 
mixed with magnesia, as the latter requires 
about as much carbonic acid for its saturation 
as the former; it is more soluble, and in paitic- 
ular, is more acted upon by ammonia, but re- 
quires more time for its saturation with carbonic 
acid gass; it would Iherefore require some long- 
er ti ne than pure lime, before being ploughed 
down. 
From recently published analyses, it appears 
that the lime of the great valley, or range, pass- 
ing through Montgomery, Chester, Lancaster 
and York, is nearly one half magnesia. Of this 
lime, millions of bushels are annually sold as 
a manure, and used in Jersey, Pennsylvania, 
Delaware and Maryland, with results so en- 
couraging, that the demand has increased more 
than ten-fold, within ten years. 
From the circumstance that lime is found in 
small quantities in some vegetables, it has been 
supposed that it is useful only for the purpose 
ot lurnishing the tequisite quantity of lime thus 
found in their substance; late experiments made 
by incinerating v^egetable matters, go to show 
that 50 bushels of lime per acre, would not be 
taken up in an hundred years, by those plants 
in which it is found to exist in the largest pro- 
portion. 
It may properly be objected, that if the roots 
of plants can and do decompose the carbonate 
of lime in the soil, and use the carbon or carbo- 
nic acid gas, for their own growth and nourish- 
ment, that the lime would again be caustic and 
uncombined. It is, however, a possible case, 
that plants may possess that power, and that 
they may not always be obliged to use it: it is 
known that in dark cellars and covered places 
open to air, but not to light, that nitrates are 
formed; and in whatever way any acids may be 
formed in the earth, having more affinity for 
lime than the carbonic, the latter would be eject- 
ed from Its combination with the lime, which 
wou d unite with the stronger acid, (if the ni- 
tric, forming a soluble compound and sinking 
away in the earth,) in which case the carbonic 
acid gas would be uncombined, and as availa- 
ble for the growth of plants, as if arising from 
the decomposition of stable manure. 
To conclude, my view is, that the air as well 
as the soil contains the elements of which ve- 
getable matters are in part formed; that the liv- 
ing plant appropriates those elements to the pur- 
poses of its own growth and nourishment, by its 
roots from the soil, and by its leaves from the 
air— that the air always contains a efficiency 
of carbonic acid gas; but that the soil does not, 
and that we spread lime upon the soil to absorb 
the carbonic acid gas from the air, to add it to 
the soil. A. w. CORSON. 
Farmers' Cabinet. 
SOWING CORN. 
Messrs. Editors — As the sowing of corn has 
attracted the attention of some of our farmers, 
I will relate a small experiment made by me 
last season, that others may shun the errors I 
fell into for want of experience. 
I appropriated a small piece of land (3-16ths 
of an acre,) to that purpose. The land was in 
corn the year before, producing about forty bush- 
els to the acre: the hills were split, three loads of 
yard manure spread, harrowed and plowed un- 
der, say from 5 to 6 inches deep, liarrowed'again, 
and the corn sown at the rate of four busnels to 
the acre, of the early twelve-rowed yellow corn, 
small kernel, buried with light horse plow, and 
rolled. 
The corn was sown on the 10th of May, the 
ground light and in fine order, but cold rains 
soon came on, and all know what an unfavora- 
ble season we had for corn; it was twice nipped 
by frost — the last time on the 11th of June, this 
gave all the weeds a chance to grow, and con- 
test the ground with the com; and although the 
ground was well tilled the previous year, and 
no weeds permitted to seed; yet there were 
enough to injure the crop, although the corn out 
lopped them in the end. When the corn was 
fully in tassel, it was cut with the cradle, laid 
in swath, turned to facilitate the drying. When 
well wilted it was bound in small bundles, 
stooked and capped with the same; when cured, 
a part rvas weighed before carrying in, and by 
computation found the yield to be 5| tons per 
acre. It was fed mostly to sheep and calves, but 
all kinds of stock eat it with avidity. Proba- 
bly there is no vegetable we raise for stock, that 
contains more saccharine matter than corn, and 
it appears the sowing of it may be made profita- 
ole, especially to those who occupy but little 
land, whether it be wanted for soiling or winter 
fodder. 
The most essential errors I fell into were, 
first, I sowed too much seed. Three bushels of 
the small kernel corn I believe better than four, 
as mine was so thick it did not tassel. In the 
next place, I sowed too early by about three 
weeks. We can have but one crop in a season 
in this northern climate, and the summer months 
are sufficiently long to bring corn into tassel. I 
think, therefore, the fore part of June will be in 
season for sowing for w'inter fodder. No one 
need be told that land for corn must be rich, and 
for a sown crop should be free from weeds. If 
the sowing be put off until June, many w’eeds 
may be destroyed by plowing or otherwise stir- 
ring the ground before sowing. 'I’he curing 
must be attended to, as on this the value of the 
crop is mostly depending; and to make more 
sure, I would recommend whenever it is housed, 
to set the bundles in an upright position, and 
not pack them away as we usually do grain. 
Yours, respectfully, 
B. BLACKMAN. 
Verona, N. Y., April, 1843. 
Central New York Farmer. 
LICE ON ANIMALS. 
If you have purchased any animals that were 
poor, or if you have most unwisely allowed any 
of your own to become so, now is the time to 
examine all such carefully, and see that in ad- 
dition to their being po >r, they do not become 
lousy. There is not an animal that does not, 
under suitable circumstances, nourish in its 
hair, wool, feathers, or its skin, some kind of 
louse'; and sometimes more than one kind of 
these parasites lodge and prey on the same ani- 
mal. In ordinary cases, they do not pioduce 
much mischief, but when they increase so much 
as to produce the disease called Phthiriasis, 
they become truly formidable. The cause of 
animals being troubh'd with lice, may usually 
be traced to a want of cleanliness. When the 
dust and sweat accumulate on the hair, and in 
contact with the skin of the ox or horse, are al- 
lowed to remain undisturbed by the comb or 
brush; when the stables are kept filthy, unven- 
tilated, and unwhole.some: when animals, redu- 
ced in autumn by want of pasture, or by living 
in unhealthy ones, are sufferei to take their 
chance for the winter without extra care or at- 
tention; or when a beast loaded with pediculi, 
is turned into the yards or the stables of those 
exempt from these parasites, it may be expected 
that they will multiply and infest animals. — 
When we see horses rubbing their tails, biting 
their manes, and showing other signs of unea- 
siness and irritation; when cattle are observed 
to be rubbing their heads against posts of fences, 
and the hair coming off from the head and neck; 
or when sheep tear out tufts of wool with their 
teeth, and bite these places till blood appears, 
we may expect that lice are present. On most 
animals, these parasites have some favorite 
place of resort; on horses the main and tail; on 
horned cattle, around the nose, base of the horns, 
and the neck; on sheep, they run over every 
part; and on swine they do not seem to be con- 
fined to any particular location. 
Pure air, room for exercise, plenty of food, 
and above all, cleanliness, are the first things to 
be attended to in the cure of this evil. Curry- 
ing, brushing and washing should be resorted to, 
as, except in bad cases, this treatment wdll be 
usually sufhcient to free the animal from these 
insects, wfithout recourse to other remedies, — 
When these fail it will be necessary to have re- 
course to such external or internal applications 
as shall operate directly on the vermin. 
One of the most common remedies is the mer- 
curial ointment, unguenium; but this, though 
effectual, cannot be used without some danger, 
as numerous imsianees have occurred in which 
valuable animals have been destroyed by its 
use. When its use is necessary, care should be 
taken to prev'ent the animal from biting itself 
where the ointment is applied, until it has had 
time to take effect. A decoction of tobacco 
leaves, in a strong lye. forms a very good wash; 
but this, too, owing to the narcotic poison of the 
tobacco, has caused death. Various vegetable 
remedies have been resorted to, among which 
are the seeds of the Delphinium staphysagria; 
and the leaves and Jioweps of the Ledum palus- 
tre, or marsh tea. The roots of the black helle- 
bore, or a decoction made from them, have been 
used with success; and it is said the wmter in 
which the skins or parings of potatoes have been 
boiled, will effectually destroy lice by a few 
washings. The internal use of sulphur is an 
excellent remedy, and if given to animals occa- 
sionally, is one of the best preventives. 
It is more difficult to apply remedies for lice 
to sheep, than to any other animals. The Eng- 
lish shepherds make use of a salve compounded 
of white arsenic and corrosive sublimate, care- 
fully parting the wool, and applying the oint- 
ments in small quantities direetly to the skin, 
and rubbing it down with the finger. Tessier 
prefers tobacco smoke to this ointment, as in- 
volving less danger in its use. The sheep is 
held in such a manner that tobacco smoke is 
forced from a bellows among the wool to the 
skin in all directions. After this fumigation, 
the sheep must be placed in the open air, that 
the vapor may have room to pas.s oft without 
being inhaled by them. Perhaps the best reme- 
dy for lice in animals, where they have not be- 
come so numerous as to produce the disease 
phthiriasis, is te rub any oil, such as whale oil 
or melted lard, on such places as they most fre- 
quent, or on parts of the animal where they will 
be most likely to come in contact with it. All 
the pediculi breathe through what are termed 
spiracles or openings in their bodies, and the 
least particle of oil spread over their I odies, by 
causing suffocation, at once effects their de- 
struction. This is also a perfectly harmless re- 
medy. But prevention in this case is better 
than cure; and neatness, cleanliness and good 
keeping, by insuring comfort and health, leaves 
no opportunity for the attacks of vermin. 
Albany Cultivator. 
Facts Worthy of Notice. — Whenever the 
farmer or planter discovers his field covered 
with sheep sorrel, he may conclude that the soil 
needs liming, the presence of the sorrel being 
unerring evidence of the absence of calcareous 
matter, and that the soil is too acid for the pur- 
poses of healthful vegetation. 
Lands, too, whose natural growth is pine, re- 
quire lime, as that wood almost always delights 
in an acid soil devoid of lime. 
Clover, sainfoin, lucern, and all grasses of 
this family, require that there should be lime in 
the soil on which they may be grown, and, in- 
deed, it may be said to be labor lost to attempt 
to cultivate them advantageously on lands in 
which this mineral does not form a constituent 
element. Now, may it not be the absence of 
lime in much of the soil of some of the south- 
ern portions of our country, which opposes 
such obstacles to the growth of cloverl W e 
think it demonstrable that it is, and -we are 
equally certain, that if lime or marl were ap- 
plied to all such lands, that clover might be 
grown there as well as in any other part of the 
country . — American Farmer. 
Educate a community in the idea that to work 
with their hands is degrading and dishonorable, 
and you educate them for vice and misery. 
