1846 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
127 
Alkaline chlorides,. 1.21 
Phosphoric acid, a trace. 
Loss,. . 1*24 
Alkaline chlorides,. 1.21 
Phosphoric acid, a trace. 
Loss,. . 1*24 
100.00 ” 
In relation to the above facts, Mr. Colman remarks— 
«It is a little remarkable, judging from the analysis 
here given, that not only is the quantity of lime ex¬ 
tremely minute, but even the phosphates, deemed so 
essential and indispensible to success, are also absent.” 
Mr. Colman declares, that though he is desirous of 
encouraging scientific investigations, the known re¬ 
sults of which he cannot but admire, yet he deems it 
proper to exercise caution in our assumptions. “We 
are very apt,” he says, “ to exclaim in the extacy of 
the Grecian philosopher in the successful investigation 
of an interesting problem, ‘I have found out! I have 
found out! 5 when, with all the apparent and flattering 
loosening of the strings, the gordian knot remains as 
firm as ever. The processes of nature must all be sim¬ 
ple enough to the Great Mind which established them, 
but that is not the human mind. To compare a rush 
light to the sun, would fall infinitely short of express¬ 
ing the difference between them.” 
(To be continued ) 
THE POTATO DISEASE. 
Mr. Tucker —I am much pleased with the “ estab¬ 
lished facts” presented by Professors Kane, Lindley, 
and Playfair, in their report on the potato disease in 
Ireland, as stated by you in the March number of your 
valuable periodical. And believing that they are cor¬ 
rect, and that they will greatly subserve the cause of 
humanity, and that all possible light upon this subject 
is desirable, I am led to inquire how they arrive at 
their conclusions. 1st. Why do “they suggest its 
connection with the cold, cloudy, ungenial weather of 
the past season ” in Ireland, unless, being atmospheri¬ 
cal, it affects the unripe vines in that kind of weather? 
2d. Why do they conclude that “ the potato is not 
affected in a warm, dry, sunny country,” unless by ad¬ 
mitting that the vines are only exposed in a cold, un¬ 
genial climate? 
3d. How do they conclude that “potatoes planted 
early in the season are more healthy than those planted 
later,” except by admitting that the vines of late unripe 
potatoes are more exposed to the disease? 
4th. Why is it that “the crop has suffered less in dry, 
elevated, sandy districts,” unless “the natural warmth 
of the soil” matures the potatoes before the time of the 
appearance of the disease, or rather, prevents its appear¬ 
ance? 
5th. How is it that “ late varieties are more affected 
than early ones,” unless by being exposed while imma¬ 
ture, to the disease in “cold, cloudy, ungenial weather?” 
6th. How do “they disprove the opinion that the 
disease affects old varieties more than new,” but by ad¬ 
mitting that it affects all varieties when the vines are 
in a state to receive it? 
Thus the “established facts” of these eminent profes¬ 
sors confirm the suggestion, in another page of the same 
number, to plant all varieties as early as possible, thus 
anticipating the fall disease. And we are happy in 
6tating that there is, in this region, a general determi¬ 
nation to do this the coming season. K. Haven. 
Shoreham, Vt., March 12, 1846. 
ASHES. 
Few farmers know or appreciate the value of this 
article as a manure. Applied to the young corn crop, 
they are worth at least one shilling per bushel, while 
our ash carts are gathering them up in exchange for 
trinkets, which do not nett the farmer more than six 
cents per bushel. How long will it be before the far¬ 
mer will awake to his own interest? 
Jason Smith. 
BARLEY AND FLAX GROWN TOGETHER, 
L. Tucker, Esq. —Mr. George W. Baker put into 
my hands, the other day, the February number of your 
paper, the “Cultivator,” in which was inserted on page 
57 a piece written by G. W. B. on the subject of my 
raising barley and flax together. Mr. Baker did not 
receive his information from me, and is therefore, in 
some respects, erroneous as to matters of fact. I hasten 
to correct the errors. It did not occur to me last spring 
to try the experiment of sowing barley and flax to¬ 
gether, till I had sowed all but one acre. I then bought 
me one bushel of flax-seed, and on the acre which I had 
not sowed, I put on three bushels of barley, and from 
six to seven quarts of flax-seed mixed together, and 
sowed the remainder of the bushel of flax-seed on a 
number of acres more, even when the grain had come 
up and let it take its own course, without dragging. I 
had $15 worth of flax-seed from the bushel sowing; as 
to the acre in question, I judged that I had fifty bushels 
of barley and about six bushels flax-seed. My crop 
was all harvested together, therefore cannot be so par¬ 
ticular, but the farmer who wishes can learn by exper¬ 
iment. One idea I will add, that if farmers will 
sow about five or six quarts of flax-seed to the acre 
with their oats for horse feed, they will not need to 
visit tamarack swamps to obtain medicine for horses; 
all will be right in a cheaper way. In cleaning up the 
grain, if you wish to keep the flax-seed with the grain, 
a thin board must be substituted for the lower sieve in 
the fanning-mill, otherwise the flax-seed will be left in 
the tail-box. Gaius Stebbins 
Lebanon , March 13, 1846. 
SAMPLES OF WOOL, &C. 
We have received from Mr. Thomas Noble, of Mas¬ 
sillon, Ohio, some thirty samples of wool. With the 
exception of samples from four bucks purchased in the 
fall of 1844, of the Saxon stock imported by the late 
H. D. Grove, the specimens sent are all from a stock 
which Mr. Noble has kept for several years, and which 
were originally derived mostly from the stock of Messrs. 
Dickinson & Wells, late of Steubenville, Ohio. On 
examining and comparing the samples, we agree with 
Mr. Noble, that “ there is no necessity of going to 
Saxony for fine wooled sheep.” In relation to his 
flock, Mr. Noble says—“I began the winter with 1,600 
head, and though our feed was very scanty in conse¬ 
quence of the unfavorableness of last season, yet they 
are in fine order, and there has not been one death. 
When the summer comes around, should you wish it, I 
will give you the cost of keeping per head, the deaths 
per cent, the per centage of lambs raised, the quantity 
of wool sheared by each sheep, the selling price of the 
same, &c. 
“I shipped my last year’s crop of wool to Liverpool, 
but it did not answer my expectations. The home mar¬ 
ket is best. 
“ I am about establishing a flock of sheep on the 
prairies of Illinois. I sent out 900 (850 ewes and 50 
wethers) last summer. So far they have done well, and 
if the experiment succeeds it is my intention to make 
it a large flock—say 10,000.” 
We should be pleased to receive Mr. Noble’s account 
of the produce of his flock, &c. and hope he will fur¬ 
nish it. 
The Wheat Crop. 
Mr. Noble says—“Wheat so far looks well. I sow 
nearly all mine with a drill, believing it much the best 
plan. I had a machine made which sows six rows at 
once, and is a very efficient article.” 
Artichokes. 
Mr. Noble has for several years cultivated artichokes, 
and he says—“ I am this season more than ever con¬ 
vinced of their great value. While every other crop 
was nearly destroyed by the ungenial season, [drouth] 
they were but little affected.” 
