274 
ETRURIAN WHEAT. 
as reported by himself. The farm contains 83 
acres, 13 of which are wood and pasture:— 
35 tons of hay, $12.00 per ton, $420 
425 bushels corn, 62 “ bu. 265 
450 “ oats, 40 “ “ 180 
60 “ rye, 75 “ “ 45 
100 bbls. potatoes, 1.50 “ bbl. 150 
2,200 lbs. pork, 6 “ lb. 132 
Apples, 125 
Profits on cattle sold, 60 
“ from 5 cows, 150 
$1,527 
For hired labor, $150 
Total, $1,377 
He has now three acres of clover which he pro¬ 
poses to cut the last of this month, as suffering 
it to stand until June, would be impolitic, as it 
would be too coarse and rank for feed. 
A Sherman. 
Trumbull , Ct, May , 1850. 
ETRURIAN WHEAT. 
The superiority of Etrurian wheat is so well 
established by six years’ culture here, that I 
deem it proper to give some little account of it. 
Its history, so far as I am acquainted with it, is 
as follows:— 
Six years ago, I was at Washington, and Mr. 
Ellsworth, then Commissioner of Patents, called 
my attention to a new variety of wheat from 
abroad, that he had for distribution. Its appear¬ 
ance was so attractive, that I obtained about 
one large spoonful of it, that I sent home and 
had carefully cultivated, from which I have ob¬ 
tained my present supply. Each crop has been 
equally successful. It has grown entirely free 
from chess, smut, rust, and weevil. The straw is 
stiff, and not subject to crinkle. Just previous 
to ripening, the straw assumes a beautiful pur¬ 
ple color, which changes in ripening to a golden 
yellow. It is the bald variety, with a white or 
very light-yellow berry, inclosed sufficiently 
firm by the husk to prevent waste in harvesting, 
and not so tightly set as to thresh hard. It is 
very hardy to stand the winter, and grows as 
well in the wet and low lands, apparently, as 
on the more elevated and dryer grounds. 
For flouring, this wheat is unsurpassed by 
any variety. It yields more pounds per bushel, 
measured, than any variety I know of, and the 
yield of flour is proportionably large. It prom¬ 
ises fair to prove the most valuable variety of 
wheat that we have ever had in this section of 
the country. E. Cornell. 
Ithica, July , 1850. 
The sample sent us of the above wheat, is very 
fine, and justifies all the writer says of it; but 
whether it is superior to the white-flint wheat, 
we do not know. We have hitherto considered 
that the best kind grown in the United States. 
As experiments in a small way cost but lit 1 le. 
we would advise our friends trying an acre or 
so of the Etrurian wheat, and should it suit their 
soil and climate, they could then cultivate it 
more extensively. We have it for sale at $2.50 
per bushel. 
On account of the fly and other causes, the 
culture of some of the choicest varieties of wheat 
has been given up in various localities, and a 
resort has been had to inferior kinds as more 
hardy. As these have been cultivated now sev¬ 
eral years, we presume the fly has partially 
disappeared. If so, the better kinds of wheat 
may again be introduced without danger. We 
would recommend, however, that they be tried 
sparingly at first. 
SUBSTITUTES FOR GRASS. 
This country is subject to seasons of drouth 
which nearly destroys the hope of the farmer to 
sustain his stock upon hay. The grass becomes 
so parched and dried up in our burning suns, 
that it cannot revive in time to make a mowing 
crop after the rain falls. Something, then, to be 
used as a substitute for hay, becomes of great 
importance. 
As a universal substitute, perhaps millet de¬ 
serves to be first named, though in some parts 
of the United States it is likely that other plants 
can be substituted to better advantage, to sup¬ 
ply the loss of the hay-producing grasses. Mil¬ 
let, however, if sown upon dry ground, in June 
or July, with just rain enough to vegetate it, 
will mature in about eight weeks, and yield two 
or three tons of good fodder to the acre. As 
soon as the farmer finds his hay crop will be 
cut short by the drouth, he should plow up some 
most, available piece of land he has, and pre¬ 
pare the surface well with the harrow, and 
while the ground is as fresh as possible, sow 
one bushel of seed to the acre, and harrow in. 
When grown so that the seeds begin to ripen, it 
should be cut and cured in all respects like hay. 
As the stalk is coarse, it will be found of great 
advantage to use a good strawcutter, to cut up 
the whole before feeding; cattle are then very 
fond of it, and it is extremely nutritious. 
At the same time you sow the millet, having 
prepared the ground in the same way, sow two 
bushels, or two and a half to the acre, of Indian 
corn, and cover it with a light plow or univer¬ 
sal cultivator, with turning-share teeth. Be 
sure to cut this before frost, and bind it imme¬ 
diately with straw bands in small bundles and 
set it up to dry, in small shocks. If left to dry 
upon the ground, it is much injured by sun, dew, 
and rain, which have but little effect upon it if 
set up ; and in that position it cures without 
any difficulty. This, also, if cut up by a straw- 
cutter for feed, will be found good economy. 
We have grown at least, six tons of good fod¬ 
der to the acre, from corn sown on the 16th of 
July. If it is thickly sown, the stalks are so 
small, that if well cured, cattle eat them greedily, 
and certainly seem to thrive as well upon such 
feed as upon the best English hay. 
Ruta bagas, or Swedish turnips, in such a 
season should by no means be neglected, as the 
tops, if the root does not come fully to perfect¬ 
ion, serve as a good substitute for hay, while 
| they remain green in the fall. For the same 
