THE CULTIVATOR. 
185 
again visited them, and saw that they were gradually 
growing thinner. I ordered a better quality of hay, al¬ 
though the first was at least of ordinary quality. I spoke 
to my shepherd about it, and he took from the flock a 
few of the poorest, and had them brought to the barn, 
where they could be both fed and watered; these gave 
him no more trouble, but it still did not occur to me that 
the main flock were suffering from want of water, as 
there wa*s abundance of snow. Another person, who saw 
them shortly after this, happened to make the suggestion 
that it might be want of water that was the cause of the 
mischief. I at once took up the thought, and directed 
that an opening be made to the brook, whence they could 
be daily watered. It was so done, and I could in a few 
weeks’ time observe that the flock had improved, and for 
that winter I had no more trouble with them. Since 
then I have had the fact repeatedly brought to my notice 
by others, and no truth can ever be more satisfactorily 
established. I make these few remarks in relation to a 
part of my practice in sheep husbandry. It is a subject 
sufficiently extensive to admit much more being said up¬ 
on it; but, for the present, I forbear, as I do not wish to 
occupy too much time. I will only further say, that 
there is a common remark when a foolish act is done by 
an individual, that he is as “silly as a sheep.’ 5 My ob¬ 
servation of the habits of sheep has induced me to be¬ 
lieve that they have powers beyond instinct, and have 
more intelligence than they are usually credited with. 
Dr. B. continued his remarks on several other points, 
and explained satisfactorily his procoss of farming for the 
improvement of his lands, while thus rearing a flock 
which now amounts to eight hundred sheep. 
WHEAT CULTURE in the SOUTHERN COUNTIES. 
At the third Ag. Meeting held in this city, under the 
auspices of the State Ag. Society, Dr. Lee, of Erie Co., 
said: 
Mr. President: The question for in vestig-ation this eve¬ 
ning, I believe to be this: “Is it practicable, and if so, 
will it be profitable, to grow wheat south of the lime¬ 
stone strata that extend west to lake Erie, through the 
central portion of this State ?” 
The soil in the region alluded to, is based on shale and 
free-stone rocks, and lacking lime, its sulphates and 
phosphates, it is but poorly adapted to wheat culture. 
Practically then, the question to be solved is this: 
How much lime, sulphur and phosphorus must be added 
to the shale and free-stone soils in the southern tier of 
counties, to make them good wheat lands, and what will 
be the expense per acre ? 
If we take 100 lbs. of ripe wheat, including root, stem 
and head, and burn it in the open air, about 97 per cent 
of its weight will be converted into vapor and gas, and 
escape into the atmosphere. The ash, or 3 per cent left, 
will, on analysis, show the earthy elements necessary to 
produce this grain. Liebig and Johnston both quote, the 
following analysis, made by Sprengel, as entitled to con¬ 
fidence : 
Wheat Ash. 
Potash,.,.. 0.6 
Soda,.. 0.8 
Lime,. 6.8 
Magnesia,. 0.9 
Silica (flint,). 81.6 
Alumina, and oxide of iron,. 2.6 
Phosphoric acid,. 4.8 
Sulphuric “ . 1.0 
Chlorine,.. 0.9—100.00 
When it is recollected that there is never more than 
three or four per cent of the above earthy substances in 
wheat, and that silica (sand) composes 81.6 per cent 
of even that small portion, it will not I trust, be deemed 
incredible, if I express the opinion that by the aid of a 
little practical science, good wheat may be grown profit¬ 
ably in any county in the state. 
This plant has been raised in a great variety of artifi¬ 
cial soils, where each ingredient was carefully weighed, 
Doth before and after the plant was taken from the earth. 
By careful analysis., what the soil had lost, and what the 
plant had gained, was susceptible of demonstration. A 
very large portion of the elements of all cultivated 
plants comes from the atmosphere. The precise amount 
depending alike on the composition of the soil and the 
nature of the particular plant upon which the experiment 
was made. 
I regard it as a fact of great practical importance that 
wood ashes, even leached ashes, so abundant in the south¬ 
ern tier of counties, contain all the earthy elements of 
this invaluable bread-bearing plant. Compare the fol¬ 
lowing table, showing the constituents of beech ash, 
with that of wheat ash. This is also taken from Spren 
gel: 
Beech Ash . 
Silica (sand,). . 5.52 
Alumina (basis of clay,). 2.33 
Oxide of iron,. 3.77 
“ manganese,. 3.85 
Lime,.. 2©.00 
Potash,. 22.11 
Soda,. 3.32 
Sulphuric acid,. 7.65 
Phosphoric “ . 5.62 
Chlorine,. 1.84 
Carbonic acid,. 14.00—100.0© 
Maple, birch and other wood, contain the same mine¬ 
rals. 
Note the 25 per cent of lime in the above analysis, be¬ 
ing larger than that of potash. Our primitive forests 
have been for centuries drawing the above earthy 
constituents of wheat from the soil. And instead 
of carefully preserving this indispensable raw mate - 
rial of good wheaten bread, thousands of bushels of 
leached ashes have been thrown away! Being but 
slowly decomposed by the vital action of plants, ashes 
are an enduring fertilizer when compared with stable 
manure. Mixed with quick lime, their good effects are 
more speedily obtained. Lime will render alumina 
either in the soil or in leached ashes, soluble in water, so 
that it can enter the minute pores of roots. Clay in the 
soil is always combined with a large portion of silica, 
and before it has been exhausted by continuous cropping, 
it holds in combination considerable potash and soda. 
Lime, by combining with alumina, the basis of clay, lib¬ 
erates these alkalies and silica, which uniting chemical¬ 
ly, form soluble silicates of potash and soda. These also 
enter into the circulating nourishment of plants, and are 
decomposed in the stems of grasses and cereals. The 
silica goes to make vegetable bone, to keep the plant up¬ 
right, while the potash and soda go back to the earth to 
dissolve as before, another portion of sand, to be also 
absorbed, and transformed into bone. It is in this way 
that a few ashes applied to a sandy soil, will enable grass 
and grain to take up the 81 per cent of flint found in their 
ashes. Lime will do the same thing on clay soils, for 
the simple reason that they generally do not lack potash, 
soda and magnesia. 
The quantity of lime and ashes to be applied to an 
acre, will depend entirely on their cost at the place 
where they are to be used. A few bushels will be of 
essential service; but a larger dose will be better. 
I come now to speak of the organic elements of the 
wheat plant, which as I have already intimated, form 
ninety-six or seven per cent of its substance. Water and 
its constituents, oxygen and hydrogen, carbon and nitro¬ 
gen, are the four elementary ingredients of all cultivated 
plants, beside their minerals. As there is no lack of wa¬ 
ter or of its elements, oxygen and hydrogen, our atten¬ 
tion will be confined to obtaining a full supply of carbon 
and nitrogen. These are indispensable, and fortunately 
nature has provided an amount of carbon and nitrogen 
in the air, if not in the soil, more than equal to all the 
wants of vegetation. A large portion of the fertilizing 
elements of vegetable mold in a rich soil is carbon, and 
a small portion is nitrogen; both of which are usually 
combined with other substances. These important ele¬ 
ments are often nearly exhausted in fields which have 
been unwisely cultivated; and I have paid much atten¬ 
tion to the subject of cheap and practicable renovation. 
By the aid of clover and buckwheat dressed with gyp¬ 
sum, ashes, lime or manure, and plowed in when in bios 
som, much can be done in the way of augmenting th? 
