AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
139 
(From our Foreign Correspondence.) 
THE OU LTUIU: 0,- UaI'E. 
Munich, Bavaria, March 30, 1857. 
To the Editor of the American A qriculturist: 
While the New Sugar Cane and other new 
plants are attracting all the notice, I wish to call 
attention to another crop that can hardly be said 
to be yet introduced, for most of the experiments 
have been on a very small scale, and generally 
undertaken without a knowledge of the true value 
of the crop. I mean Rape. Judging from the 
few notices in the Agricultural papers, I infer that 
the people who are enquiring about it, think its 
principal value is in its feeding qualities. 
I have interested myself in its cultivation, in 
Southern Germany, in Switzerland, and in West¬ 
ern France, where it constitutes one of the most 
important crops, but its use for feed is but sec¬ 
ondary, that of its seed for oil being the princi¬ 
pal. Rape, ( Brassica Napus L.) is botanically 
closely allied to the common turnip, {B. rapa L.) 
and varieties of the latter are often cultivated 
under the same name, and for the same uses as 
the former. There are many varieties adapted 
to various conditions of soil, exposure and cli¬ 
mate. For oil, the Winter varieties are consid¬ 
ered the most profitable. The seed is sown in 
August or September, the plants bloom in April 
or May, and are harvested in June or July. There 
is nothing very peculiar in the cultivation, more 
than in that of Wheat. It is sown either in drills 
or broadcast, the former being preferred if the 
locality is such that a dressing with the hand 
hoe is desired in the Spring, which of course im¬ 
proves the crops. 
The Spring varieties are sown in March, (the 
Spring is a little earlier here than in New-York, 
or New-England,) and the crop is harvested in 
September, when kept for seed. The chance 
for a good yield is considered less than with the 
Winter crops ; it is more likely to be injured by 
an unfavorable season. 
The oil is extracted precisely like that from 
linseed (flax seed). The “ cake ” is fed to cattle 
but it is superior to that from linseed. And the 
oil is chiefly used for burning. I have used it all 
the time I have been in Germany. It is 
clear, burns with a pure clear light and without 
smell. I think it fully equal to the best kinds of 
fish oil, and it is much cheaper. Hence I infer 
that its culture in America will be profitable ; it 
is here raised on land much dearer than that of 
New-York, or New-England, and the oil is sold 
much cheaper than whale-oil there. I have seen 
it in Baden, raised on land worth over &I00 per 
acre, and the oil sold for less than whale-oil (at 
retail) in the city of New-York. The best oil 
selis here in Munich, for 11 to 14 cents per pound, 
(21 to 26 kreutzers per Bavarian pound,) and the 
crop is not raised in the immediate vicinity, so it 
is somewhat dearer. 
If climatic causes do not interfere, I am sure 
that money can be made from the crop in Amer¬ 
ica ; I want to see it fairly tried. It grows here 
in the same climate and on the same soil that 
produces wheat, barley, oats, turnips, and similar 
grains. 
These are th e facts of the case. I leave practi¬ 
cal men to demonstrate its adaptability to Ameri¬ 
can soils and climates. * * Wm. H. Brewer. 
Remarks. —The above letter came to hand 
just as our last number went to press in 
which we published the closing portion re¬ 
ferring to the Dioscorea. 
In regard to the culture of Rape, we made 
some investigations last season, both with 
regard to the feasibility of growing it in this 
country, its value for oil, &c. We were 
much pleased with the samples of oil and 
their burning properties. The opinion we 
then formed, was, that the high price of 
labor would fora time work against the gen¬ 
eral culture of Rape here, and we have waited 
for further information before recommend¬ 
ing it. Mr. Brewer, speaks quite strongly 
in its favor, and we shall make an effort to 
get a supply of seed for our next Annual 
Distribution, for the purpose of giving an 
opportunity to test it in different parts of 
the country. 
Into which are thrown all sorts of paragraphs—such as : 
Notes and Replies to Correspondents, with Useful or 
Interesting Extracts from their Letters, together with Glean¬ 
ings of various kinds from various sources. IfffThe print¬ 
ers always have access to this Basket when they “ have 
nothing else to do." _ 
JLate vs. Early Planting' Corn.—Our 
Waterloo Coirespomlent, S. W., says upon this topic : 
“ I have been in the habit for more than thirty conse¬ 
cutive years, of planting corn both early and late each 
year on adjoining plots; planting the first rows from the 
4th to the 10th of May, as weather served ; and never in 
a single instance when I saved my own seed, did it ever 
rot in the ground, even when delayed from sprouting by 
cold wet weather ; the second plot is planted as soon the 
first plants are above ground ; but the early planted al¬ 
though it may entirely stop growing and turn yellow or 
even get singed by frost, it is still gaining root and when 
warm weather comes, it goes ahead of the later planted, 
and if the days are hot and dry it will not only be a week 
earlier, but the ears will be fuller and larger and the 
stalks heavier. It is an old and in part true saying, that 
July and August makes the com ; but for the crop to lux¬ 
uriate instead of sufiering in the heat and drouth of these 
months, the stalks must be perfected and the ears formed 
before the drouth begins ; hence the necessity of planting 
in May, so that the growing plants may have the benefit 
of the long days ol June to prepare them to stand the 
later drouths. As August is a tropical month with shorter 
days and cooler nights, corn grows slowly after the mid¬ 
dle of this month. Even in this corn growing country, 
lastseasonm some localities corn was injured by frost on 
the night of the 3(ith of August, and the pumpkin vines 
were killed, and although we generally have no frosts 
along the Lakes and outlets until October. Corn scarce¬ 
ly grows at all after the 10th of September, it may glaze 
after that time, but no ear fills well in September. It is 
true that on wet undrained fields, corn planted in Summer 
may do better than that planted earlier on the same ill 
conditioned soil; but I never yet had hope large enough to 
induce me to work against such odds ; and methinks the 
day is now at hand, thanks to the labors of the agricultur¬ 
al press, when no farmer worthy of the name will be found 
attempting to grow a cereal crop on a soil, that needs the 
sun of Summer to make it dry enough to plow and plant. 
There is no doubt but that in a favorable season corn 
planted any time in June may mature a crop; and before 
the middle of June, even a large crop. But as a general 
rule iate planted corn is deficient both in size of stalk and 
fulness of ear, while that w hich ripens before the 20th of 
August, is a perfect specimenof both ears and stalk. In 
the colder climate of Minnesota it is said that even dent 
corn planted in early June, rarely fails to ripen a perfect 
crop ; there the new vegetable soil gives a rapid growth 
that no old worn region can hope to obtain. The me¬ 
chanical structure of such a soil enables it to hold water 
by absorption, or capillary attraction, to sustain the crop 
through the mosttrying drouth, without the curl of a leaf ; 
but when this vegetable soil is worn down by use, Minne¬ 
sota will have to substitute Canadian corn for the large 
dent coin of the farther South.” 
IlEMARKS.-gWe are not at all surprized, that our views 
of planting corn late, i. e. from the 25th of May to the 
5ih of June, should call forth this remonstance. It con¬ 
tradicts the practice of a large majority of oui readers, we 
presume, and yet we think that a closer observation will 
correct that practice, and bring them round to our own 
views. We think our correspondent’s philosophy is 
wrong in several respects. He assumes that the early 
planted corn, while the t-ps are yellow and frost bitten, is 
all the while making roots. Of this we have no proof. A 
closer observation will show him that the leaves of plants, 
and the branches keep pace with the roots, and that the 
one is a complement of the other. A germ begins to 
grow in two ways at the same time, sending a radicle 
downward, and a leaflet upward Destroy the radicle. 
the leaf will die. Destroy the leaf, and the root will fail, 
as we often see in the case of frost bitten beans. Injure 
the top, in any way, by mutilation or by cold, and the root 
is injured to the same extent. If our correspondent has 
never had occasion to replant his early corn fields, his 
experience is d ifferent from that of most farmers. 
His second idea, that early planting is a remedy for 
drouth, is equally fallacious. If, as we have seen, the 
roots and branches of a plant are the complements of 
each other, early and late planted corn would be in 
about the same condition by the middle of July. The 
roots would cover about the same surface, and run to 
about the same depth. Salvation from drouth depends 
upon the mechanical state of the soil, much more than 
upon the condition of the roots of the plants. In a deep 
plowed, well drained soil, moisture, both would pass 
through safely. In a shallow soil, both would suffer. 
It is quite manifest that our correspondent wants a lit¬ 
tle closer observation to correct his philosophy. We 
should have more confidence in his conclusion if he had 
stated that his two pieces of corn had been measured. 
The eye and the half bushel do not always agree in their 
testimony. Let him take the King Phillip corn, or 
some other that will mature in ninety days, well adapted 
to his climate and planta half acre the 25th of May, and 
let him treat the two pieces in all other respects just 
alike. An accurate measurement of the grain and the 
stover at harvest time will give us some thing reliable to 
form a true theory upon. Though our experience, and 
observation have led us and many of our neighbors to late 
planting as the better practice, we are still open to con¬ 
viction. * 
Cut Worm,- W. D., ofMiddlegrove, IM Y., says: 
“ These worms are the great enemies of the corn crop, 
many acres being destroyed last season. I observed that 
where the grass started up afresh the corn was not injured, 
and this pointed out a preventive. At the lime of plant¬ 
ing, scatter a small quantity of rye or oats over corn fields, 
which will afford a green crop for the worms, and save 
most if not all the crop from their ravages. The sowed 
crop will be easily dug up at the first hoeing, at which 
time the corn will be out of danger. A little extra labor 
in this way may secure a full crop of corn, where only 
halt a crop w-ould otherwise be produced without it.” 
Corn Smut. —“An Inquirer” asks how to prevent 
this. Mix two parts of water to one of tar, warming it; 
soak the corn in it an hour or two, and dry off with 
slacked lime. The lime will kill the smut, while the coat¬ 
ing of tar will not only hold the lime, but also act as a 
stimulant or fertilizer. 
Sleeping Early Potatoes.—T. It. Joynes.jr., of 
Va., wishes to know, how these may be kept through the 
winter in his climate. The difficulty we suppose to be 
from the tendency of the potato to sprout before it is time 
to plant. The germinating powers of the potato may be 
retarded, by keeping them in a dark, cool, dry atmo¬ 
sphere These conditions are furnished well enough in 
latitude in a common house cellar. We should suppose 
that they might be kept in the same way in Virginia. The 
cellar must be protected from frost, and must be dark, 
coolanddry. It is practicable to keep down the temper¬ 
ature by ice, where there are potatoes enough to be pre¬ 
served to pay lor the expense. The ice can be managed 
as in a frnit room. The Early June is a good early variety 
though hardly equal to some of the newer sorts We shall 
be very glad to hear from our correspondent on the con¬ 
centrated fertilizers. 
Millet—Sowing Crass Seed.— In answer to in¬ 
quiries of II. D. Jellison,of Muscatine County, Iowa, and 
W. H. Wetherbee, of Worcester County, Mass., we 
would say : Millet may be sown for soiling, or curing, at 
any time during May and June, on well pulverized, dry 
toil. A liberal coating of manure will materially benefit 
this crop. If sown broadcast, which is the common method, 
40 quarts per acre is a fair seeding. It ripens its 
crop from 60 to 75 days from sowing, but if cured as hay 
it should be cut when the seed is in its dough state. It 
grows too rank to form a good crop for sowing grass seed 
with. We advise W. H. W. to plow his land after the 
millet is off, and then sow grass seed. The last report of 
Secretary Flint to the Massachusetts Board of Agricul¬ 
ture, contains much useful information on time of sowing 
grass seed.' The majority of experience in that State, is 
in favor of Autumn sowing. This information is given in 
detail in the work on grasses, noticed in our Maynumber. 
Striped Bugs «n Sg.na.sIiL Vines.—R. P. 
Post, of Greene County, N. Y., says he has a remedy, or 
preventive, against the squash bug, which has not failed 
during the several years he has tried it. Equal parts of 
finely-powdered charcoal and sulphur, are put upon the 
young plants as soon as they come up. This is repeated 
as often as washed off by the rain. He also recommends 
every one who has a garden to save the soot and fine ash¬ 
es from their stove-pipes and flues, to dust upon turnips, 
cabbages, and radishes, to preserve from the garden flea 
