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VOLUME III. NO. 32. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y-THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1852. 
WHOLE NO. 136. 
fgriraltnral Sipartrarat. 
JPRO«KESS AND 1MPUOVBMENT. 
THICK vs. THIN SEEDING. 
No course of conclusive experiments has 
as yet settled the important question as to 
the proper quantity of wheat for seeding 
an acre, or decided definitely and authori¬ 
tatively in the matter of thick vs. thin sow¬ 
ing of this and other grains. Much has 
been said and written on the subject, but 
the experiments detailed point to such op¬ 
posite conclusions, that both sides claim the 
decision in favor of the modo which they 
have practiced. Thick seeding was most 
popular when the drill system was brought 
forward, resting its claims to superiority, in 
part, on the economy of the opposite prac¬ 
tice, and bringing strong testimony in its 
favor. Thus the question seems left to the 
decision of the individual farmer as his own 
discretion and experience may dictate. 
On the side of thick seeding, most of our 
readers, we presume, have seen the experi¬ 
ments of Mr. Clark, of Yates Co., N. Y., 
which are given in the Transactions of the 
State Ag. Society for ’49. He sowed four 
bods of wheat at regular distances apart, 
and with different amounts of seed, with 
the following results : No 1—in squares 1 i 
inches each way, at the rate of 3 bu. 45 lbs. 
per acre; yield, 69 bu. 20 lbs. No 2—about 
2 inches apart, seeded at the rate of 2 bu. 
6 lbs.; yield, 59 bu. 40 lbs. No 3—distance 
little short of 3 inches; seed, 1 bushol per 
acre; yield, 50 bu. 40 lbs. No. 4—about 3| 
inches apart; seed, 43i lbs. per acre; yield 
at the rate of 45 bu. 20 lbs. 
Wo find in the Journal of the Royal Ag. 
Society, England, also in favor of thick 
seeding, some experiments mado in Surrey 
on a larger scale, in order to ascertain the 
relative merits of thick and thin sowing 
wheat, drilling, dibbling, and by broad-cast. 
They were conducted with groat care, upon 
fivo acres of level land of uniform quality, 
with the following results : No 1—seed per 
aero, 2£ bushels, drilled 9 inches apart, val¬ 
ue of product, (grain and straw,) £16, 6s.— 
No. 2—seed, 1 bush., drilled 12 inches apart; 
product, £10, 2s. per acre. No. 3—seed, 1 
bush., dibbled 12 inches apart; product £13, 
4s. No. 4—seed, 1^ bush., dibbled 9 inches 
apart; product, £15, 12s. 9d. No. 5—seed, 
2J bushels, sown broad-cast; product £18, 
Is. per acre. The experimonter, David 
Barclay, M. P., remarks :—“ The results of 
these experiments aro very remarkably in 
favor of thick sowing, and particularly of 
the old broadcast system; and if not con¬ 
clusive evidence against the doctrine of thin 
sowing, so strongly and so ably advocated 
at the present day, should at least, induce 
caution on the part of farmers beforo they 
depart from the practice of their forefathers. 
It is difficult to believo that so great an ad¬ 
vantage as the saving of a bushel or a bush¬ 
el and a half of seed per aero, can have 
been overlooked for so many generations. 
It seems more reasonable to suppose that 
long practical experience has taught the 
farmor the moro prudent course of a liberal 
supply of seed.” 
The highest yield in the above experi¬ 
ment was forty bushels per acre. Another 
English agriculturist sowed but ono bushel 
per acre, drilling it in, in rows, one foot 
apart. The product in his case is stated at 
forty-eight bushels per acre, but the land 
had been very heavily manured. Another, 
with land as rich, and pursuing an equally 
thorough system of manuring and tillage, 
taking an opposite view of the amount of 
seed necessary, drilled in, in rows eight 
inches apart, from two and one-half to three 
bushels of seed per acre. His average yield 
for six yoars, is stated at thirty-four bushels 
and a half per aero—thirtoon and one-half 
bushels loss than that of the farmer who 
sowed but ono bushol per acre. 
These experiments point out at least ono 
fact for the guidance of the farmor—but 
ono which has been very generally known 
and considered—that rich, deep, thoroughly 
worked soils do not need as great an amount 
of seed as thoso of a less fertile character. 
Early farmers in Western New York made 
it a rulo to sow one and one-fourth bushels 
of wheat per acre, and on their fresh, un¬ 
worn soils, doubtless raised as large and 
perhaps larger crops than they would had 
they sown a greater amount. Now the gen¬ 
eral practice is to sow about two bushels per 
acre—though when the drill is used, one- 
fourth less has been found to produce equal 
results, from the greater certainty of ger¬ 
mination. A contemporary remarks : “ The 
drill has done much towards ensuring the 
safety of our crop of wheat, by placing the 
seed at regular distances below the surface, 
and giving every grain a chance. It also 
makes necessary a moro thorough tillage of 
the land—and this fact is strongly in its fa¬ 
vor.” This fact, we presume, accounts for 
the improved product which generally fol¬ 
lows its use. 
REFORMATORY FARM SCHOOL FOR GIRLS. 
Editors Rural : — I find an articlo in 
tho “ Genesee Farmer,” for June, entitled 
“ Homes for tho Poor,” containing some 
vory sensible remarks on tho utility of help¬ 
ing every man, woman and child, to obtain 
a spot they can call home. Home ! what 
other word is capable of convoying to the 
mind such lasting impressions, and of fos¬ 
tering so many principles that serve to ele¬ 
vate the human character and render each 
individual a blessing to his kind ? Think of 
this, ye advocates for placing women in tho 
political arena; and ponder tho question, 
to whom docs it legitimately belong to make 
tUoso improselons, nnd nurture those princi¬ 
ples ? 
No ono who has ever lived in a city can 
have failed to observo the demoralizing ef¬ 
fects of the frequent changes of place, to 
which tho writer of tho above mentioned 
article alludes. There are large numbers 
in every city, who change their localities al¬ 
most monthly, to find a district where their 
faces have not grown too familiar, tho bet¬ 
ter to obtain tho means of staying —it can 
scarcely bo called living. It is truly lament¬ 
able to witness the lying and hypocrisy, 
that is daily resorted to, to obtain a few 
piece.s of bread,—not always to feed starving 
children, but to make up the barrel of ref¬ 
use that is sold to tho pork-raiser for a few 
pennies; alas ! too often, to enable the par¬ 
ents to gratify an appetite for tho liquid 
poison, that brutalizes and destroys. In 
theso abiding places may bo learned some¬ 
thing of tho schools in which thousands of 
poor children are taught the rudiments of 
crimes, which end in infamy, imprisonment 
and death. A less amount of real labor, 
without any tax on morality, might suffice 
to procure a subsistence, could they bo plac¬ 
ed in a situation where that labor would be 
available; and this might in many instan¬ 
ces be effected, if every wealthy land-holder 
would feel it a duty to furnish a tenement, 
if nothing more than a log-cabin, for a sin¬ 
glefamily, and a garden-spot for the females 
and children to cultivate while the father 
would bo employed at day-labor. How. 
much moro like men and women would they 
feel so situated, than when going themselves, 
or what is worse, sonding their children 
from door to door, to bog a scanty pittance. 
It is true, there are exceptions to such, and 
that society is, and for a long time will bo 
infested with a class of individuals who will 
resort to any thing, rather than work. We 
need not expect to reform to a very great 
extent, tho generation now on tho stage of 
action, but it seoms to mo to bo tho imperi¬ 
ous duty of thoso who can wield an influ¬ 
ence for good, to use that influence in pro¬ 
viding the best means they can doviso, for 
tho benefit of the generation now rising to 
take their places. 
I believe tho fact is generally conceded 
that females aro destined to perform a very 
important part in influencing the present, 
and forming the characters of all future 
managers of our great Republic. Tho fact 
too, exists, that a large proportion of fe- 
malos will become mothers ; hence the im¬ 
portant question arises, What can be done 
to arrest tho downward progress of thou¬ 
sands of juvenile unprotected females, and 
prepare them in a measure for their “ ap¬ 
parent destiny ?” 
Not long since I was visiting in tho fami¬ 
ly of a Methodist clergyman in a neighbor¬ 
ing city, when lato on Saturday evening he 
was called on to perform the marriage cero- 
mony. A mah apparently about thirty 
years old, poorly clad, and a female com¬ 
fortably dressed, were the candidates for 
matrimony. They could neither of them 
read; when asked her age the woman said 
she did not know, but guessed she was about 
nineteen. Her face indicated a medium de¬ 
gree of natural intelligence. The man said 
they lived in a basement in V-street 
—ho had three children—his wifo died a 
month before, and he was lonesome, and 
wanted somebody to look after the children. 
After some words of advice, and no little 
hesitation on tho part of tho olorgyman, 
the ceremony was performed, when the man 
tendered thirty-four cents, it oeing all the 
money he had. The good Dorrinie refused 
tho pittanco, and told him to go and buy 
bread to last over the Sabbath. This, Mr. 
S. said, was rather an extremo case, but he 
often felt it his duty to perform the cere¬ 
mony to save the parties from deeper de¬ 
gradation. Ho afterwards learned that this 
female had lately been released from the 
Penitentiary. To a state, how much worse 
than orphanage, were theso poor children 
reduced ! 
I think there is a law existing in some 
parts of Germany, where every young man 
is required to read his Bible intelligibly, and 
furnish oriJoneo that lie is possessed of a 
certain amount of property, with a good 
moral character, before ho can obtain a mar¬ 
riage license. Would it not be a good law 
to apply in somo cases in our own country ? 
To return to the question of what can be 
done. In a recent No. of tho “ Boston 
Courier ” I find the following very suggos- 
tivo item : 
“ The Grand Jury .—This body having 
performed its six months’ service, made a 
final report on Saturday, and was discharg¬ 
ed. After alluding to the condition of the 
public institutions—and suggesting various 
improvements — the Grand Jury proceed 
to consider tho subject of juvenile crime, 
and recommend the establishment of an in¬ 
stitution, similar to that at Westboro,’ in 
which young girls may be confinod. They 
remark: 
The plan of private reformatory institu¬ 
tions, within tho walls of some city building, 
has not been successful, for the mind which 
is to be restored to healthy action, needs a 
healthy body, invigorated by free air, exer¬ 
cise, and that constant contact with nature's 
beauties, which mysteriously leads to a love i 
of nature’s God. This is not the time and 
place to present a detailed description of 
what such a reformatory farm for females 
should bo, but tho Grand Jury have been at 
every step so fully convinced of its utility, 
if not absolute necessity, that they most 
earnestly recommend tho sehemo to tho 
profound thought of philanthropists, and 
tho immediate action of our state and city 
authorities.’ ” 
The scheme hore merely hinted at, seems 
to bo not only philanthropic but perfectly 
practicable—and its advantages over a city 
institution, must recommend it to every re¬ 
flective mind. I can sco no reason why a 
farm suitably arranged, and under the care 
of efficient managers, with proper regula¬ 
tions, could not in time be made to support 
itself from the labor of its occupants. I 
am far from advocating the plan of subject¬ 
ing females to rough out-door labor to 
which their natural constitutions aro not 
adapted—but there are lighter departments 
of work on a farm that aro particularly ap¬ 
propriate to tho physical capacities of the 
vory class of juveniles that would people 
such an institution. The rearing of poul 
try, the cultivation of fruits, flowers and 
vegetables, preparing them for market, &c., 
is precisely the kind of employment and ex¬ 
ercise thoy would neod outside tho school¬ 
room, and would furnish subjects of thought, requires several days of blistering sunshine 
elevating in all their tendencies. What to kill its vegetating power, whilst oach frag- 
could be better calculated to call into ac- ment will revive under a gentlo shower, 
tion tho best qualities of the female mind strike root and becomo a now plant as per- 
than the rearing of tender, helpless ani- tinacious as ever. It requires groat pa- 
mals ? The sheep, the hen, the goose, and tienco and porseverence to out-genoral it.— 
indeed almost all animals furnish beautiful The only way, to my knowledge, is to bury 
illustrations of maternal solicitude and it so deeply that it cannot smell daylight, or 
care> , remove it friVm tho earth and burn it or put 
Here, too. girls could and should bo taught it where it is impossible to strike a root in- 
in the ’various departments of household to the earth. Figs relish it vory much, and 
economy, so that when leaving the institu- the only favoi’able thing I can mention of 
tion, they might obtain situations, where it is, that, if gathered while young, it makes 
they would be freo from former associa- a most excellent pot herb, 
tions and temptations that always beset kut an unceasing warfare should be ef- 
youthful. unprotected females. They should fectually waged against this and all other 
not only be taught to read, write, and how noxious weeds, to the end that no soeds 
to cook their food, but how to use the nee- should be matured. ■ Thus, eventually the 
die, so that they might fashion a new gar- s °d inil Y bo rid of them, and cultivating 
ment or mend an old one. Would it not crops come to bo really a pleasant and prof- 
be well for every Stato to support one or itablo occupation. Years of united per- 
more such institution ? 
If every city and villago in New York. 
that has offered the " Irish Patriot a pub- CROPS IN ONONDAGA COUNTY. 
lie reception, (which he has so nobly refus- _,_ 
ed„) would appropriate tho money they Wheat, in this county this season, is in- 
would thus havo spent, to tho creation of jured more by the red weevil than it has 
a fund for that purpose, it might consti- been for several preceding years, or at least, 
tute ono sufficiently large to endow and such seems to be tho prevailing opinion 
support an institution whose beneficial re- among our observing class of farmers.— 
suits might be felt in all coming time. But Spring wheat is not plenty in the county, 
the American people are so sympathetic, and what there is seems to bo materially in- 
and so much given to hero-worship, that jured by the weevil. In many parts of tho 
thoy seldom count the cost of a “ glorijica- county, or that portion of it which I have 
tion,” but will pour money at the feet of the I traveled through, many pieces of wheat 
hero of the moment, as if none were need- were almost ruined by reason of the long 
ed for the cure of vice or the relief of raise- and severe winter which we experienced.— 
ry, yet to do them justice, they aro not slow If I can judgo any where within gun-shot, 
in adopting views and carrying out meas- I concludo that wheat will not turn out, in 
ures of benevolence and utility. this county, more than two-thirds as much 
severence, however, would be necessary. 
ry. yet to do them justice, they aro not slow If I can judgo any where within gun-shot, 
in adopting views and carrying out meas- I concludo that wheat will not turn out, in 
ures of benevolence and utility. this county, more than two-thirds as much 
Looking at this subject in the light of the ; as it did last season, taking the same num- 
question, “ will such an institution pay ?” 1 : ber of acres. 
think it may be answered emphatically,—it 
will, a thousand fold, to those who are wil¬ 
ling to invest funds for the benefit of suc¬ 
ceeding generations. 
Corn looks exceedingly well in the west¬ 
ern part of the county, though rather lato. 
Many pieces were not planted until the 
month of June. The “yellow smut,” (an 
leaves destitute of stipales or leafy appen- I $ 7.00 per ton is off* 
dages ; calyx composed of two parts, uni- ! grumbling. 
ted at tho base; petals fivo, more or less; j Peaches are chiefly c 
stamens and pistils also variable. The seed j culio. 
vessel, called a pyxis, discharges its contents Baidwinsvffle, July 26, 1852. 
by throwing off a cap or cover. This order LETT R FROnTs 
contains twelve known genera and one hun- ~ - 
dred and eighty-four species, inhabiting dry Friend Moore :—Tt 
places in all parts of the world. has been since about t 
Would I could command language wor- | early kind of corn, though not as profitable 
thy of tho subject—such as would arrest in my opinion, as tho white corn,) has been 
and fix the earnest attention of every friend pretty generally introduced among us, and 
of the poor, tempted, homeless children of J consequently much of it has been planted 
sorrow and crimo, who might, by the j in this region of the country, 
stretching forth of a protecting hand, be | Barley and oats never looked finer than 
raised to become worthy components oi j they do with us this season. I have not 
the great social fabric. seen a poor piece of oats in the county.— 
A. Farmer’s Wife. Barley is fine and much of it has been car- 
Willow-dell Fftnii) July, 1852. |y 
PURSLANE,—(Portulace Oleracaa) * Youn ? P otatoes are now abundant. The 
- “Mountain June” has come forward rapidly, 
The several species of the genus Fortu- and is tho kind which chiefly supplies the 
lace are mostly natives of South America, country with early potatoes. The rot has 
Thoy are low, herbaceous plants, with thick not made its appearance, though somo hills 
succulent stems, possessing no remarkable of the “ House-yard ” potatoes seom to look 
properties. as though something of a blighting nature 
Botanists give them membership in the had visited them, 
natural order Portulacacece. The traits of j Grass is not plenty, and fine offers are 
this order aro fleshy herbs, with entire I made for good timothy hay in tho field.— 
leaves destitute of stipales or leafy appen- | $7.00 per ton is offered without much 
dages ; c'alyx composed of two parts, uni- ! grumbling. 
ted at tho base; petals fivo, moro or less; j Peaches are chiefly destroyed by the cur- 
stamens and pistils also variable. The seed j culio. W. Tapp an. 
^ » U - — —- LETTER FROM MASSACHUSETTS. 
contains twelve known genera and one hun- - 
dred and eighty-four species, inhabiting dry Friend Moore :—Tho season hero, is and 
places in all parts of the world. has been since about the first of May, very 
Purslane, vulgarly called “pusley”isa dry. The rye harvest, now nearly finished, 
naturalized plant, too well known to thoso is unusually bountiful. Seldom has a bet- 
who havo to till tho soil. Its pertinacity to ter crop of this Now England grain been 
retain its foothold is quite notorious, whilst gathered in. Oats do not look vory prom- 
its powers of enduring evil treatment aro ising. The crop will be light on account of 
equally renowned. It is a prostrate weed, the drouth. The hay crop now nearly 
covering often in rich soil from ono to two gathered, is uncommonly light—some far- 
feet diameter. The leaves aro thiekisli, mers say it is about half a crop. Hay sells 
wedge shaped, rounded at tho end, and sit- now, right from ho field, for twelve dollars 
ting closely to tho thick, reddish stems.— per ton, and even higher. This is much 
Flowers are small, numerous, opening only higher than it sold in spring, 
in sunshine, and at 9 o’clock or thereabouts, Corn and potatoes aro both suffering se- 
and closing again in an hour or two. The verelv for want of rain. The weather is 
seed vessel is sub-globose, opening near the dry, and exceedingly warm. On Thursday 
middle, containing a groat many small | at Thorndike, where I was spending the day, 
shining seeds endowed with such wonderful ! the thermometer stood at 95°, and had varied 
vitality that an indefinite time may elapse but little from that for tho last ten days— 
before the propor genial influences may so I was told by an observer, 
cause them to spring into life to plague the The shrilling of tho acanthus nivens , called 
husbandman. by somo, August cricket, and by others Fall 
Nor is it easy to destroy the growing cricket, was first heard on Wednesday eve- 
plant. Though sovorod from the root, it ning. It is a delicately smalt, white insoct, 
