1866.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
120 
Wlaeat from Callibmia. —A corres¬ 
pondent of the American Agriculturist, James Cass of 
Lagoon Valley, California, sends us a sample of wheat 
which he has raised for eight years, and wishes us to lell 
him its true name. He discovered a few heads of it 
growing in one of itis fields, and carefully saved the seed. 
On cultivation, it proved to be much affected with smut, 
but with him, as with us, blue vitriol (sulphate of copper) 
proved a perfect preventive. He has raised as mucli 
as eighty bushels per acre. Straw tall and stiff; 
berry long, not very plump, thin skin, and uncommonly 
white and handsome. Has obtained 42 lbs, of excellent 
flour from a bushel of wheat. We do not know the 
variety. If he will send us three or four lbs. by mail in 
time for sowing the coming fall, we will give it a trial, 
and can then tell something about it. The postage is 
only eight cents a pound. 
Drilled Wlieat vs. broadcast.—'• J. 
C.” tried the experiment of drilling in his seed wheat, vs. 
sowing broadcast. At first, the drilled wheat looked 
much the best, but at harvest the broadcast came out far 
ahead. This is sometimes the case, but in four cases out 
of five, drilling is the better practice. It saves seed, de¬ 
posits it more evenly, and at uniform depth, and in a dry 
autumn you can put the seed down into the moist earth, 
whereas if sown broadcast, much of it will remain in the 
dry surface soil, and will not germinate until it rains. 
Hoe tl*e Wheat. —To admit of which it 
must be drilled. We ought to have a machine to do 
this, but until we have, we should hoe the weediest 
portions by hand. It will pay in many cases. It is 
not so much work as many imagine. Try an acre 
this spring, as early as the ground is dry enough to work 
well, but not before. Many farmers spend more time in 
pulling up red-root when it is in flower, and after it has 
robbed the wheat of much nutriment, than would suffice 
to hoe over the whole surface in the spring. In many 
cases a light harrow will destroy the weeds among the 
wheat, and at all events will stir the soil and favor the 
growth of the crop. One need not be afraid of the har¬ 
row, even if a heavy one, injuring the wheat, if the 
ground is dry. It may pulh up a plant here and there, 
and to a casual observer the wheat will appear badly cut 
up, but it soon revives. 
Broom Corn. — Considerable interest is 
manifested in regard to this crop by numerous correspon¬ 
dents. We propose to give it more attention in the May 
number, and now only say, that it does well on swards 
turned over last fall, and on grass land broken up in the 
spring, if the soil is rich, and the furrows flat, and it can 
be manured in the hill. It thrives on any good corn 
land, but pines on wet soil, or on heavy clays. 
Vetches or Tares. —D. F. Spaulding, Iowa. 
The “ Vikker,” as you write it, which the Germans and 
Scandinavians in your neighborhood talk about, is the 
Vetch.—Wicke in the German language. Vicker in 
Swedish. The plant has been cultivated to some extent 
in this country, but without marked>success. It is of a 
nature, agriculturally, between peas and clover, an an¬ 
nual crop, good for hay, delighting in deep clayey loams 
in good tilth. There are noth spring and autumn v,a- 
rieties, and they ought to have a good trial in this coun¬ 
try. It does not thrive in very dry localities, nor on sandy 
soils. The .seed may probably be got of our seed import¬ 
ers, or they'will get some out for you for next autumn’s 
or spring’s sowing, if you wish. 
About Fine Bone Bust.—A Caution. 
To several recent inquiries, we answer: Bones are un¬ 
doubtedly a very valu.able fertilizer. For fruit trees and 
Tines, the whole bones, or those coarsely broken, de¬ 
compose slowly and afford nourishment as needed, over 
a long series of years. A little fine hone dust added, is 
well, to produce immediate effects, while the larger 
pieces are getting into a state of decomnosition. For 
immediate effect upon crons, the finer the bones are 
powdered the better. The fine bone dust w hich has been 
long in use,is largely decomposed and used during the 
growth of any crop. The claim that bones groimd to 
flour, are worth twice as much as the fine ground bones, 
is hardiv tenable. Suppose we invest one sum in one ton 
of flour of bones, and as much more in Iwo tons of the 
simply fine ground bones. In the former^ we get most 
of the effect immediately; in the latter, we get the 
early benefit of say a ton of the finest portions, and 
still have left a ton of the coarser portion for further 
future effect in the soil.-Some two years ago we 
examined a sample of fine ground bones, sold in the 
market, and found a large per centage of plaster so 
intimately mixed as not to be recognized without careful 
inspection. 'We caution our readers to be on the look¬ 
out for such frauds on the part of manufacturers, and 
especially of unscrupulous sellers, who can easily adul¬ 
terate the originally pure article. The finer the bone, 
the greater the chance for deception. The fraud can 
usually be detected with a strong magnifying glass, by the 
form of the fine particles. By stirring a quantity of it in 
water, the heavier plaster will settle first to the bottom, 
where it can be easily seen. Plaster is easily detected by- 
burning a little of the material, dissolving the ashes in 
a pure hydro-chloric (muriatic) acid, and adding a solu¬ 
tion of nitrate of baryta. A heavy precipitate of sulphate 
of baryta, in the form of a white powder, (or sediment,) 
which is insoluble either in acids or in much ■water, 
would show the presence of plaster (sulphate of lime) in 
the bone powder. 
Testing' Soil loi* Bjimae.—A gentleman 
describes to us a process, by which he proposes to test a 
soil for lime, to see whether it would be benefited or not 
by the application. For his information we would state, 
that the soil might be half lime-stone, and one would not 
discover it by his test. The point we would make, how¬ 
ever, is, that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and 
any chemical test, which a fa-mer, who is not a chemist, 
might apply, would be likely to mislead. Besides, the 
soils most benefited by lime, often have an abundance 
of lime in them for the use of plants, as great benefit fre¬ 
quently comes from the action of the lime in its freshly 
slacked .state, in promoting decompositions and solutions 
of plant food in (he soil, and in its changing more or less 
the mechanical character of the soil. 
Sorglium Siigai*. — The culture of Sor¬ 
ghum is making advances now-a days, and there is really 
some prospect, that a marketabte article of brown sugar 
will be produced. It seems from statements brought out 
by the comparison of views and practice at the recent 
Sorghum Conventions, that the early cut, even unripe 
canes, yield the most cane sugar with great uniformity. 
Improvements in evaporating and in drying the sugar are 
introduced or suggested also, of which we shall endeavor 
to keep our readers informed. 
Ijct the Horses Rest Occasionally. 
—'We know a physician, in large practice, who is fre¬ 
quently compelled to drive his honses hard. He formerly 
drove the two together, and used them up in a few years. 
He now drives them singly, and as far as |)Ossible on 
alternate’days. They are now, though working harder, 
invariably healthy and strong. He attributes this to the 
fact that if a hard drive strains any of the muscles, they 
have time to regain their tone the next day. Were the 
horses driven every day, a slight sprain would produce a 
little stiffness ; the parts would rub against each other ; 
inflammation would set in, and the horse be lame—per¬ 
haps incurably so. Farm liorses are not so liable to in¬ 
jury in this respect, as tliose driven fast over hard roads. 
But a day’s rest occasionally will help them materially. 
At all events do not work them Sundays. Or if any are 
driven far to church, or for any pressing emergency, make 
it a rule and adhere to it scrupulously, to let such horses 
rest Saturdays, or Monday's. Man and beast must rest 
one day in seven, or pay the penalty. Better work 
harder and rest longer. 
Every One should “ Insure his 
liife.”— There is an unwarrantable prejudice on the 
part oT some persons in respect to Life Insurance. The 
practical operation of all good companies amounts to 
this : A thousand or ten thousand persons, more or less— 
the more the better—unite together, and say that, as all 
our lives are uncertain, we will each contribute annually 
a small sum to a general fund, to be drawn upon by the 
family of the first one taken away by death, then by the 
next, and so on—in proportion to what each has sub¬ 
scribed. The small sums thus gathered, form a large 
fund which is constantly increased by being placed 
securely on interest. By long extended observation, it is 
known to a certainty what will be the average length of 
life.of the whole company, and how much must be an¬ 
nually contributed to secure $1,000, more or less, to every 
one of the company, at the time of his death. A very- 
small additional sum furnishes funds to pay a few officers 
or managers, and to have a little surplus against emer¬ 
gencies. So safe are the calculations, and so well have 
such companies been always managed, that they have 
been the most substantial of all joint companies formed 
in this or any other country.—We esteem it the duly of 
every map having » family, or creditors,likely to be affect¬ 
ed pecuniarily bv his death, to have at least a small sum 
of ready money sure to come to them at his decease. He 
may be independent to-day, but riches often take to them¬ 
selves wings and fly away. Every month’s observation 
shows that the best established properties may become 
involved, if not by the want of judicious care on thq part 
of the proprietor, at least through the rascality of others. 
A millionaire of our acquaintance went to bed last night 
assured of a million and a half dollars, in good U. S. 
securities, in his strong safq box. To-day we learn that 
the thiefs hand has spirited them all away.-The 
farmer has his land nearly paid for. lie dies, and the 
confusion of his affairs, or the want of good management 
on the part of his family, or successors, may involve the 
loss of the whole ; while a few hundred, or a few thous¬ 
and dollars of ready- money at his death, may save a 
homestead for them, free from incumbrance. And so of 
every other calling. That a man is strong, and belongs 
to a long-lived family, gives him no certain tenure of life. 
The weak or sickly are likely to take most care of them¬ 
selves, and thus prolong life. We alwavs think of the 
operations of death, as those of an enemy who stands at 
a distance, and shoots a poisoned arrow at random into a 
large crowd. It is as likely to strike the young as the 
old, the strong as the weak. Itis well therefore for every 
one to be always ready for the fatal shaft, both as respects 
this world and the next.-We believe a life Policy 
really tends to “ insure ” and prolong life. Thus : A man 
is sick, and the anxiety of mind, as to how he w ill leave 
his family, aggravates his disease, and often does shorten 
a life, which w ould have been saved could the man have 
rested easy in the feeling that his insurance policy 
would place his warldly affairs it; a safe position in the 
event of his death. So, we say, let every man devote a 
small sum annually to securing a convenient safe-guard 
to his family- or others, in the event of his death.—We 
write as we have long practiced, and not in the interest 
of any cotnpany. (We chance to be insured in three 
different ones.) Several good companies are from time 
to time admitted to our advertising columns. Send for 
their circulars and statements, which are furnished free, 
and give full particulars, and then choose the one most 
in accordance with your views. They are all of them 
safe, and differ but little in the emls to be secured. The 
larger the comp-any, tlie less is the percentage for ex¬ 
penses, and the less their liability to fluctuations in their 
operations ; and the chance loss of a large amount by 
pestilence or otherwise, will tell less upon the aggregate. 
The Beatli of Creoi-g^e M. Beeles*.— 
Just as we are closing up this paper the sad news comes 
to us of the death of the Secretary of the Indiana Horti¬ 
cultural Society, Mr. George M. Beeler. Though only 
in his 25lh yeaa', Mr. B. was well known, not onlv in his 
ow-n State, as a nurseryman and orchardist. but to the 
pnmologists of the country for his devotion to their pur¬ 
suits A friend who knew him well, w-rites : “Jlodestand 
unassuming, but, from his merits, put forvv;ird promi¬ 
nently among his fellows,—Secretary of the Slate and 
County Horticultural Societies since tlieir organization, 
and always devoted to their interests,—liberal, and 
anxiously seeking information everywhere, he attended 
other societies, both East and West, and thus became 
widely known among horticulturists, by whom he was 
everywhere considered the rising man. Young as he 
was, his opinions upon all practical points were highly 
valued. He died as he had lived—at peace with all, and 
with an abiding Christian hope and confidence.” 
Osag-e Orange Seed.— Now that this 
long wanted seed is again offered for sale, we have ques¬ 
tions as to how to sprout it, and if it is to be planted in 
place, where the hedge is to stand. It should be frozen 
before sowing ; but as it is now too late to do that, the 
seed must be soaked. Pour scalding w-ater, as hot 
as the hand can bear, over the seed, and let the whole 
stand in a warm place, repeating the operation every day 
for five days. .Then drain off the water, and keep the 
seeds covered in a shallow vessel in a warm room until 
they- begin to sprout, when they may be sown. As the 
plants are liable to be thrown out by the first winter's 
frosts, it is necessary to raise the plants in a nursery. 
Rich land in fine tilth is marked out with drills, about 
two feet apart, or wide enough to work with the cultiva¬ 
tor ; sow the seed thinly, about an inch apart, and cover 
two inches deep. Keep carefully cultivated the whole 
season. 'Warder’s Hedges and Evergreens—see Book 
List—gives the various methods of forming hedges. 
Honey Eoenst Seed.— We know that this 
plant, properly cut back, will make a good hedge. It Is 
objected to it that it is naturally a tree, and cannot be 
cramped into a hedge plant. So is the Osage Orange, 
and so is the Hawthorn. It is useless to look lor a plant 
that will make a hedge of itself. Even the Beech may 
be grown as a hedge-,if properly clipped. The seed of 
Honey Locust w ill often grow without preparation, but 
as seed is bought at tlie stores it is safest to scald it 
before sowing. It is best sown in nursery drills, when 
the soil is warm—about the time for planting corn. 
BLiawrel Foisoming AgaSn. —“ C.,” Rich¬ 
mond, R. I., gives to a lamb five to ten teaspoonluls, and 
to a full-grown sheep two to four ounces of salts, [epsom, 
we suppose,] dissolved in new- milk. If the pain does 
not appear to subside in a reasonable time, he repeats it. 
He thinks if the poison is not thrown qff from the 
stomach it must be removed by ipgving the bowels. 
