72 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Teazles 
Are extensively used in our woollen manufactories. 
They are biennial—that is, it requires two seasons to 
bring the crop to maturity. They have been partial¬ 
ly grown among us ; and, under favorable circum¬ 
stances, are a highly profitable crop. The following 
communication, copied from the Silk Grower, de¬ 
scribes the mode of culture, and gives data as to the 
profits of the crop; which, allowing one half for lee¬ 
way, it will be seen, is still far greater than we are 
accustomed to realize from ordinary farm crops. 
“ The soil should be rich, not sandy, but loamy; I 
begin to sow in the spring not expecting a crop till a 
year from next fall; in order that I may have an an¬ 
nual crop I adopt the following method: I sow two 
rows about 16 inches apart, leaving the plants about 
12 inches apart; if they are too thick, I transplant 
them the next spring. 1 then leave a space of four 
feet for the next year’s crop, which is manured by use 
of a hand cart. I hoe the plants well two or three 
times. The same piece of land, if well cultivated, 
will bear a good crop for several years. To make it 
still more profitable I sow English turnip seed on the 
vacant parts; in this way I raise about 200 bushels 
of good turnips. It does not cost any more to raise 
teasles than it does corn; there is no danger of the 
frost injuring them. I raise from 150,000 to 200,000 
to the acre ; they are worth this year $1.50 per thou¬ 
sand ; some years they are worth $3 a thousand. I 
raised two acres of them this year; at the present 
prices the profit per acre is from $225 to $300 ; when 
they command $3 per thousand, the profit is from 
$450 to $600, which is giving five or six fold more 
profit than can possibly be made from corn. I gene¬ 
rally give away the seed.” 
We add to the above, from Loudon, that the crop 
is taken, except the plants to be preserved for seed, 
about July of the second year of growth, when the 
blossoms begin to fall from the top. It is the best me¬ 
thod to have the heads cut as they become fit, at 
three different times, at the distance of ten days or a 
fortnight from each other. The heads are cut with a 
knife, contrived for the purpose, with a short blade 
and a string attached to the haft. A pair of strong 
gloves is likewise necessary. The ripe heads are cut 
with a stem of about nine inches, tied in handfulls, 
put in a dry shed, and exposed to the sun, when the 
weather is fair, until they become perfectly dry.— 
When tough, and of a bright color, they are sorted 
into three kinds, termed kings, middlings and scrubs, 
and are then fit for market. To save seed, leave the 
requisite number of plants uncropped—select, when 
ripe, the largest and terminating heads, and thrash 
them with a flail. 
German Agriculture. 
We know very little of the details of German ag¬ 
riculture ; but we have read quotations from the 
agricultural works of Von Thaer and Sprengel;* 
and we have learnt from travellers, enough to desire 
to become better acquainted with her rural practices, 
conscious that they would afford valuable data for 
guidance in American husbandry. We have been 
induced to refer to this subject, by the receipt of a 
printed memorial of Charles Lewis Fleischmann, a 
graduate of the royal agricultural school of Bavaria, 
on the' subject of improving the agriculture of this 
country, and printed by order of congress. We make 
the following extracts from this memorial, to show the 
advances which are making in Europe in the improve¬ 
ment of agriculture and of the agriculturist, by the 
establishment of schools of practical and scientific ag¬ 
riculture, and by agricultural societies and agricultu¬ 
ral journals—and in the hope, too, that these extracts 
.will awaken in our statesmen and our citizens gene¬ 
rally, a better feeling—and induce a more liberal and 
enlightened policy—towards that great branch of pro¬ 
ductive labor, which is at once the basis of our pros¬ 
perity and the palladium of our independence. 
“Agriculture has made, within the last twenty years, 
throughout all Europe, and even in Asiatic Russia, 
a very successful progress. The advantage and neces¬ 
sity of diffusing this useful science were felt especially 
in Germany; there., different plans were suggested and 
adopted to accomplish it: agricultural societies were 
formed, and privileged by the governments; the divers 
experiments were published through journals, and prizes 
distributed for inventions and improvements: but all 
that had not the expected effect. The practical farmer, 
uneducated and full of prejudice, was not able to un¬ 
derstand the principles of the new system; the man of 
scientific education had no experience and knowledge 
of applying science to practice properly; and so the 
most brilliant result of one improved branch was the 
cause of the ruin of other branches, by paying too much 
attention to a pet branch, and neglecting, for its Sake, 
the whole system. This partial experimenting caused 
* We do know of a more acceptable service that could be 
rendered to American husbandry, than the translation of these 
works, ora portion of them, into English. We have no doubt 
but the translator and publisher of them would be amply in¬ 
demnified for labor and expense, 
more injury than real good. Lastly, in order to diffuse 
the science of agriculture properly, so that every branch 
would affect all others advantageously, and the whole 
system of this so important science become perfected, 
it was found necessary to erect schools, and educate 
young men scientifically and practically. Such schools 
were established on large properly-conducted farms, 
where all the sciences were taught connected with agri¬ 
culture, illustrating the practical manipulations in the 
field, barns, stables, &c., together with the use of all 
the implements and machines, as well as all the mi¬ 
nutest branches of husbandry. 
“ The great A. Thaer brought the science of agricul¬ 
ture to a system, and Burger’s Lehrbuch [manual] of 
agriculture was the general guide for the pupil. 
“ Within the short period of six years, the influence 
of these institutions was felt throughout the whole 
country. The young scientific agriculturist was em¬ 
ployed as domain inspector, or superintendent; many 
applied the new science to their own estates. 
“A proper rotation of crops having been introduced, 
with regard to the circumstances and localities, the 
stock increased and progressed far towards perfection; 
the land was ameliorated, and every part of husbandry 
improved; their ignorant and prejudiced neighbors be¬ 
came convinced; they began to imitate, and to read; 
and, in a short space of time, the old system was aban¬ 
doned, and the farmer soon saw and realized the advan¬ 
tage of the science of agriculture. 
“ When land is rich, cheap and plenty, farming seems 
to he easy; but xvhen land is poor, scarce and valuable, 
then the question, ‘how to gain the highest clear profit 
under any circumstance, and to improve land and stock,’ 
becomes difficult. 
“In geaeral, poor soil can only be improved by ani¬ 
mal manure. To produce animal manure cheap, and 
in sufficient quantity, is the most important subject of 
investigation for an agriculturist. It has an influence 
upon every branch of agriculture; from the quantity of 
manure necessary depends the rotation of crops, so as 
to produce, with least quantity of manure, the greatest 
quantity of food and grain, and to ameliorate the ground. 
From the quantity and kind of manure necessary de¬ 
fends the number of the domestic animals that must be 
kept on a given quantity of land. 
“ Manure has to be the first consideration in taking 
up poor land, and from that point start all other inves¬ 
tigations. The cheap production of manure influences 
cheap production of food and grain, and is the result of 
high profit. 
“The moment is arrived when agriculture can be 
brought to the highest perfection. 
“Chemistry has made great progress, and,has been 
especially treated in reference to agriculture. 
“ The scientific agriculturist is enabled now to make 
a sure and correct judgment on the experiment of the 
practical farmer. He can now with certainty, in ad¬ 
vance, predict the result of every agricultural operation, 
and has to place no dependence on good luck, and leaves 
nothing to chance; neither is it necessary for him to 
lose time and profit, by making experiments on a small 
scale. 
“ Agricultural chemistry detects and discovers espe¬ 
cially the secret of the life of plants, and it is therefore 
a necessary science for all who occupy themselves to 
gain products from the field, meadows, &c. 
“ Agricultural chemistry is that science which shows 
the influence of rotation and the richness of soils; it is 
the science which teaches how to ascertain the relative 
value of food, grain, straw; the value of the different 
kinds of manure; and to ascertain with certain success 
the proper food for animals, the proper kind of soil for 
plants, and the best manure for them. 
“Charles Sprengel occupied himself during 20 years 
to apply chemistry to agriculture. He was guided by 
the essays of the most celebrated chemists, and has suc¬ 
ceeded in giving the scientific world a systematical book, 
in wffiich the principles of chemistry are illustrated 
through examples, and the theories of his doctrine ap¬ 
plied to practice. 
“ Germany has many agricultural schools of great 
perfection; _ agricultural societies and journals every 
where; and the nobility have taken it as a pride to im¬ 
prove their domains, and publish their progress. 
“ Germany possesses eminent schools of veterinary, 
and distributes prizes every year for treatises on agri¬ 
culture. 
“ Germany brings every year at least 1,000 volumes 
more books into market than any other nation; and the 
most of those hooks are on sciences adapted to prac¬ 
tice. And yet how little do we know about their phi¬ 
losophical and scientificai transactions ? And why? The 
German language is very little understood among a po¬ 
pulation of English origin. 
“ The first step in every undertaking is the most diffi¬ 
cult. This difficult step this country has already taken— 
which is, having discovered the utility of diffusing the 
agricultural science. The next step is to establish ag¬ 
ricultural schools, where that science can be taught 
theoretically as well as practically. 
“ In such agricultural schools should be taught pure 
mathematics, such as arithmetic and geometry; the 
practical application of it in mensuration, surveying, 
mechanics, hydraulics, hydrostatics, architecture, civil 
engineering, &c.; natural philosophy; chemistry, and 
its application to practice; zoology, botany, mineralo¬ 
gy, and geology; drawing; the veterinary art; and ag¬ 
riculture in all its branches, 
“ The pupils should be divided into three classes. 
“ The first class should consist pf those who only 
want to become acquainted with the practical manage¬ 
ment of peculiar branches; for example, wool-growers. 
-These should be paid for their services, and have a lec¬ 
ture every evening, gratis ; and after serving one year 
or more, they could be qualified to superintend similar 
branches. 
Second class, those who desire to become acquainted 
with the practical management of all branches in agri¬ 
culture, and the necessary rudiments of the sciences.— 
Terms two years, from 16 years of age and upwards. 
“Third class, those who wish to become entirely 
versed in the sciences of agriculture, so as to he quali¬ 
fied for professorships. Term, three years. 
“To illustrate the theory by practice, there should be 
a pattern-farm of about one thousand acres, so as to 
show an extensive manipulation. The farm should he 
conducted with the view of gaining the highest profit, 
so as to prove the utility and truth of the science of ag¬ 
riculture. A few acres of land only ought to be. em¬ 
ployed for experiments. 
“The veterinary art, which teaches the external 
forms, as well as the internal construction and economy 
of the domestic animals, the proper management of 
them, the causes and treatment of their diseases, and 
the art of shoeing them, is a most important branch of 
an agricultural school. 
“ Agricultural schools of the preceding description, 
in which the most important sciences for a practical life 
are taught, would be the nursery of valuable citizens 
for a republic. Such men would honor and benefit the 
whole country; encourage and promote commerce, ma¬ 
nufactures and internal improvement; carry public 
prosperity to the highest point, and increase the happi¬ 
ness of society.” 
Geological Survey of Ohio. 
We have been politely furnished, by the author, 
with a copy of the first report on the geological sur¬ 
vey of Ohio, by Prof. Mather. It announces the im¬ 
portant fact, that 1,200 square miles of that state are 
underlaid by coal, and 5,000, by workable beds of this 
valuable mineral. This fact is of the utmost impor¬ 
tance to the future welfare of that state, and of other 
states connected with it by water communication.— 
It not only ensures a permanent supply of fuel, when 
the native forest shall disappear, an event with which 
a large portion of that state is threatened from the 
fertility of soil, and the rapid increase of its popula¬ 
tion,—but will be all important in working the iron 
and the lead, with which the state is believed to 
abound, and in carrying on other extensive and need¬ 
ful manufacturing establishments. The coal forma¬ 
tion constitutes the principal mass of the southeast 
portion of the state, reposes in beds of a mean thick¬ 
ness of six feet, lying nearly horizontal, and the coal 
beds are favorably situated for working, as they are 
found in the hills and ravines, where they can be 
drained with little expense, and without deep shafts 
and expensive machinery. Limestone is the prevail¬ 
ing rock, and underlays a large portion of the state. 
It is accessible, and well adapted to the purposes for 
which it is elsewhere employed. Sand stone most 
predominates in the coal region, and is found suita¬ 
ble for the most permanent works, and some answers 
well for grind-stones. Salt and other mineral springs 
are numerous. Buhr stone is found in abundance on 
the southern border of the state, and the value of 
mill stones annually manufactured from it is stated to 
amount to 20,000 dolls. We shall close our brief no¬ 
tice of this report with the following extract on 
“ Soils. 
“The soils of Ohio are so rich, that many would sup¬ 
pose them scarcely capable of being rendered more pro¬ 
ductive. Art, however, is capable of improving many 
of them, so much as to double their produce. 
“As we are almost exclusively dependent upon the 
soil for those articles of food and raiment necessary to 
the supply of our animal wants, and, as the annual 
products of the soil form the largest item in the increas¬ 
ing wealth of the state, it is deemed expedient to con¬ 
sider this subject with some attention. All the richest 
and most densely populated agricultural districts, are 
on the transition, secondary, tertiary and alluvial for¬ 
mations. Soils, with the exception of those resulting 
from alluvial depositions, are derived from the disinte¬ 
gration and decomposition of the subjacent materials, 
and they depend, in a great degree, for their qualities, 
upon their mechanical and chemical constitution; hence, 
the geology of a territory is a necessary prerequisite in 
estimating the agricultural characters and value of its 
soils. 
The variations in the productiveness of soils are due 
to two general causes—viz. 
1st. The mechanical texture of soils. 
2d. Their chemical composition. 
1st. The texture of a soil is a character of more im¬ 
portance than is generally supposed. To form a good 
soil, its texture should be such as to retain a suitable 
quantity of moisture for the nourishment of vegetation, 
and be neither so clayey as to hake and crack in the 
heat of the sun, or heave by the action of frost; nor so 
sandy as to become parched, and be mere dust at the 
depth to which the roots of plants penetrate. Argilla¬ 
ceous soils have so strong an affinityfor water, as tore- 
tain a small portion even when heated. There should 
be a sufficient quantity of clay in soils to enable them 
to retain three or four per cent of water when dry, and 
