1846. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
23 
EUST ON WHEAT. 
Ed. Cultivator —Investigation would seem to have 
established that Rust on Wheat is a small plant of as 
regular and uniform a growth as wheat; and if such is 
the fact any speculation on the subject would be useless. 
But if so, the rapidity of its growth, visible to the 
naked eye, is truly astonishing, and any information 
concerning that growth must prove interesting to the 
community. 
Four years ago, the writer had on his farm in Tomp¬ 
kins county, 15 acres of beautiful wheat. The field 
was the admiration of all who saw it. It stood thick 
on the ground, was as tall as was desirable; the heads 
were large and long, and it presented a rich and beauti¬ 
ful appearance. It then promised from 30 to 35 bushels 
to the acre of superior wheat. This was the first week 
in July. The weather then became very warm, and 
for three days there were frequeut light showers, with 
bright sun-shine between them. In the language of the 
farmer, it was close, oppressive weather. Before the 
commencement of the rain, there was not the least ap¬ 
pearance of the rust upon any of the wheat. On the 
contrary, it then promised one of the finest and heaviest 
crops ever raised in this State; but in less than four days 
the whole field was stricken with rust, and the result 
was 12 bushels to the acre of shrunken, instead of from 
30 to 40 bushels of superior wheat to the acre. The 
land on w'hich it was grown was a rich clay-loam, with 
a small portion of gravel, rather moist than otherwise. 
The lot is situate near a creek of pure spring water, 
and during and immediately after the rain, a fog was 
discovered above the stream—and also above other 
streams in the vicinity. All the wheat growing near 
those streams was much injured by the rust—whereas 
that which grew half a mile distant from them remain¬ 
ed uninjured. Seven acres of mine growing on new 
ground 150 rods from the stream, escaped entirely—but 
it was sheltered by woodlands on two sides, and the 
ground for the most part was dry. 
The first crop on this 15 acres gave 28 bushels (wheat) 
to the acre—the second, (oats) 40—the third, (corn) 
100 bushels of ears—the fourth, (oats) 40; the fifth, 
(wheat) after oats the same season, 20—all the finest of 
grain and no rust to cause injury. It was then stocked 
down with clover, and summer fallowed the second 
season for the wheat which was so seriously injured 
by the rust. If, as is maintained, Rust is a plant, 
whence came it in three days? It wa« not wafted by the 
wind, for there was none—it being remarkably calm, 
damp, warm and sultry, and the sun between the 
showers, shining intensely bright. But if it be a plant, 
for its growth so as to injure wheat, it requires calm, 
damp, warm weather, and such weather must occur 
when the wheat is in the milk, or the grain soft. Some 
of our observing farmers say that if the rain is accom- 
paied by wind the rust does not injure the wheat. 
My belief is that the rust plant or fungus, whatever 
it may be, always exists on the stalk of the wheat; but 
that its growth is not such as to injure the plant unless 
warm weather and moisture unite at a particular period 
during the growth of the plant, and that prior to that 
period it is not visible to the naked eye; also, that 
during seasons unfavorable for its production it does not 
attain maturity. If, for example, the grain has passed 
the milky state and has become in a degree hard, then 
the rust will not injure it in the least, however favora¬ 
ble the weather for its production may be. 
In confirmation of this he would remark, that during 
the most part of July last, in this section the weather 
■was very dry and warm. Yet about the 15th of the 
month, we had some wet, warm weather, and the con¬ 
sequence was that most of our fields of wheat were 
stricken with rust; but the berry was formed when the 
wet weather commenced, and the wheat was too far ad¬ 
vanced to be injured—the rust proved too trifling to 
cause injury—the wet and warm weather was not per¬ 
haps of sufficient duration. The showers were short, 
and the rust did not so far progress as to stop the circu¬ 
lation of the sap, and the berry obtained the necessary 
supply. 
Our crops of wheat have not been so fine for many 
years—the berry is large and the wheat of a superior 
quality. Even the late sown wheat, although affected 
by the rust, has escaped injury. The berry is not infe¬ 
rior to that sown earlier, but the yield to the acre is not 
so great by one-fourth. Superior cultivation and early 
sowing are the best preventives of the injurious effects 
of rust yet discovered. But the writer believes he has 
discovered a remedy for the rust, plant or no plant. He 
is preparing to make the experiment the next season, 
and if successful the result will be communicated. 
He also believes that great crops of wheat may yet 
be grown as well in the counties on the Hudson as in 
Western New-York. We shall see. 
A Farmer of Tompkins County. 
THE PLUM, NECTARINE, APRICOT, AND ALMOND. 
The Plum adapts itself readily to almost any soil 
and situation, and will flourish any where Except in a 
clay, marshy, or very sandy location. A rich friable 
soil is however to be preferred, and where not so, it 
should be made so by culture. The plum, nectarine, 
and apricot, being smooth skinned fruit, are subject to 
the attacks of the curculio. But if the trees are paved 
round as far as the branches extend, or are planted in 
ground that is much trodden, and thus rendered hard 
and impervious to the insect, or if the ground around 
the trees is strewed with gravel; the insect will not 
be able to find shelter there, and consequently the trees 
will be free from its depredations. The different va¬ 
rieties of plums used in Germany, France, and Italy, 
for prunes are very productive, and there would be no 
difficulty, if a proper locality were selected, in estab¬ 
lishing extensive and profitable orchards for this object. 
The plum being exceedingly hardy would command a 
preference over many other fruits, which do not flour¬ 
ish in an equally northern climate. 
The Nectarine, Apricot, and Almond, require 
a precisely similar soil and culture as prescrik the 
peach. The nectarine is equally hardy, and me two 
latter equally as much so. In this latitude the apricot 
is most productive when placted in a location some¬ 
what sheltered from the north and west, but many of 
the robust varieties exact no such precaution. 
The culture of the almond could be successfully ex¬ 
tended in the states south of the Potomac, and orchards 
planted there would require no more care than the peach, 
and would soon by their abundant crops supersede the 
necessity of importations of this fruit, which are made 
to a very large amount. Pure Americanism will al¬ 
ways aim at the production of every article requisite to 
our comfort within our own national limits. 
Flushing, Dec. 10, 1845. W. R. Prince. 
SINGULAR CAUSE OE DEATH OF A COW. 
The noted Hereford cow Matchless, which w'as in? 
ported from England by Messrs. Corning and Sotham 
in 1840, died a few days since from a singular cause. 
On a post mortem examination, it was found that hei 
death was occasioned by a portion of the skeleton of a 
calf which wa« found in the uterus. The bones con¬ 
sisted of several joints of the back, the sharp corners 
of which, by irritating the parts with which they came 
in contact, had brought on inflammation and mortifica¬ 
tion. She had not had a calf nor taken the bull for 
more than two years, and for more than a year Mr. So¬ 
tham had occasionally seen evidences of there being the 
remains of a calf in her. She probably, however, ex 
perienced but little inconvenience from it, till the de 
composition had proceeded so far that only the frag 
ments of the skeleton spoken of remained. From not 
having given milk for sometime, she had become very 
fat, and but for the circumstance above mentioned, 
would have been beef of the first quality. 
