FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 
285 
—August. The same divided into 4 plants, which three 
weeks after were again separated and made 12 plants 
—September. The same 12 plants were again sepa¬ 
rated, and made 32 plants—November.-^-The same 32 
plants were again separated into 48 plants, which were 
then planted in the open ground, not particularly pre¬ 
pared for them, 18 inches from each other, occupying 
a space of 11 yards by 1 yard, being the 440th part of 
an acre; consequently, 440 grains would be found suf¬ 
ficient for one acre, which I find weigh f of an ounce. 
“ 1843 :—August. Ten of the 48 plants died, and 
the remaining 38 plants were cut down, unfortunately, 
before the wheat was ripe, as the birds had already 
taken one fourth away. 1,972 stems were counted. It 
was thrashed this week, and the weight is 2| lbs., which, 
according to the preceding calculation, consists of22,000 
grains. The wheat sown is known by the name of 
Eclipse. I have thus stated the simple facts; but there 
are many observations which will naturally arise in an 
inquiring mind, when it is known that the cultivators 
of the soil in this country do not reap, upon the aver¬ 
age, above 30 bushels for 3 bushels sown. I am 
aware that a remark will be made of the trouble and 
some little expense for the garden-pots, which were 48s, 
if the experiment is carried on to a larger extent. But 
let every person interested in this account try them¬ 
selves; they will, as well as myself, be astonished at 
the result.” 
It appears from this experiment, that by a new ap¬ 
plication of manual labor, three quarter? of an ounce of 
seed-wheat will plant an acre of land. The quantity 
now used may be averaged at two bushels and a half, 
weighing about a hundred and fifty 'pounds. Sixty 
shillings a quarter will not be too high a price to take 
as the average value of seed-wheat, and therefore the 
saving in it will be about eighteen and sixpence per 
acre. 
Of course the practical question is, whether this 
eighteen and sixpence will cover the cost of manual 
labor required for the operation of setting wheat instead 
of sowing it. If it does cover the expense, it would be 
an enormous gain to the country, because it would im¬ 
mediately afford a large amount of employment to those 
laborers, who not being able-bodied, are most in want 
of it. We doubt whether eighteen and sixpence an 
acre could be possibly expended in the operation, if 
judiciously conducted on a large scale; but that is a 
question which any intelligent farmer can answer bet¬ 
ter than we can. 
We would only observe that if, as we are told, 
3,800,000 acres are annually planted in wheat in Eng¬ 
land and Wales, the application of so large a sum as 
£3,500,000—which would be the amount of saving by 
Mr. Palmer’s operation at the prices above assumed— 
to the relief of the poor, is something which demands 
a very different notice from that of a passing comment 
in a newspaper. 
Ginger Wine. —Put 5 gallons of water to 16| lbs. of 
lump-sugar, boil and skim it, then put in 5 oz. of ginger 
bruised (not ground), the peel of 3 lemons and 3 Seville 
oranges tied in a thin cloth ; let it boil for half an hour, 
and put it into a vessel, and let it stand until just 
warm ; then put in 1 spoonful of good yeast, and let it 
remain until next day slightly covered over. Wash out 
the barrel with some brandy; put into the wine the peel 
and juice of the oranges and lemons, and 2 lbs. of 
raisins cut open ; stir it every day for a fortnight, and 
let the bung be put in lightly. Add 1 oz. of isinglass 
and 1 pint of brandy, and stop the barrel close. When 
done working, let the wine stand seven weeks before 
you bottle it. 
New Phlox .—Another of those pretty varieties of 
Phlox suaveolens, with red introduced among the white 
flowers, has been raised by Mr. Van Houtte, and is, we 
understand, in the possession of the nurseryman under 
the name of striata delicatissima. Its flowers are deli¬ 
cately streaked all over with rose of different tints on 
a white ground. 
MyaWs Strawberry. —Mr. Maund has lately tried 
the effects of Guano, and says, Si it is quite evident 
that the luxuriant growth given by Guano to this shy¬ 
bearing strawberry, is highly advantageous to its fer¬ 
tility. Most persons agree in acknowledging Myatt’s 
Pine strawberry to be the finest-flavored, and most 
difficult to cultivate successfully, of any in our gar¬ 
dens. We believe, however, that complaint against 
its fertility need no longer exist. If runners be planted 
as early as they can be obtained, certainly not later 
than July, and the beds be supplied with Guano-water, 
4 oz. to the gallon, once a week, for four weeks, com¬ 
mencing as soon as the blossom-buds are visible in the 
hearts of the plants, we believe they will not fail to 
bear abundantly; and by maturing the latest flowers, 
will continue longer in bearing than many other sorts. 
Probably it would be advantageous to apply a little 
Guano to the plants in September; but if greatly 
stimulated at this season, the plants may possibly be 
driven into flower to the prejudice of the spring 
blossom.” 
Transactions of the Highland Ag. Soc. of Scot¬ 
land. — Experiment in Deep Plowing. —The experiment 
was made upon a small field, which is sixty-five feet 
above the level of the sea. The soil is sandy, resting 
upon a sub-soil of sand and gravel of great depth, and 
so thoroughly drained bytthe declivity of the surround¬ 
ing lands, that want of moisture is its natural defect. 
There is but little difference between the soil and the 
stratum on which if rests, beyond what culture and ma¬ 
nure have made ; but, from sinking of gravel, treading 
of horses, and pressure of the plow, year after year, and 
age after age, the sub-soil had become crusted, hard, 
and beaten as a road. In short, from shallow plowing, 
there was but little depth of cultivated earth, and, as 
on all such soils in dry seasons, the crop was scorched 
and scanty. 
With a view to render this field fruitful in any sea¬ 
son, it was sub-soiled with the Deanston plow, eighteen 
inches deep, and sown with wheat for crop 1837. The 
great vigor and luxuriance of the crop attracted general 
notice; and it must have yielded an extraordinary in¬ 
crease, if it had not been lodged by wind and rain 
shortly after the ear appeared. Therefore it gave only 
thirty-eight bushels of grain per acre, but three tons of 
straw, which proved its great strength. To this crop 
one of potatoes and two of wheat succeeded ; but it is 
the culture of this field for crop 1841, and the result, 
which chiefly constitute this report. 
It was all equally dressed with seaware; and four 
acres of the same quality and description were mea¬ 
sured and staked off. Two of these acres were plowed 
twelve inches deep, with two horses, and two of them 
eighteen inches deep, with four horses. These two 
portions in all other respects were cultivated and man¬ 
aged exactly alike. They were planted with potatoes 
of the Don species, in the last week of April, eight 
inches deep, twelve inches asunder, and in drills thirty 
inches wide, running at right angles to the furrows of 
the experimental plowing. The potatoes wer^planted 
deeper than usual, therefore- the shoots were longer in 
coming through the ground; but when they did appear, 
it was with great strength and regularity. They ex¬ 
panded their broad deep-green leaves, and grew vigor¬ 
ously, in the dry sandy soil, in a very severe and long- 
continued drought. It was soon evident that the deep- 
