390 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
bear as much and as good fruit, as those dressed in a judi¬ 
cious manner? Let the enlightened readers of the Culti¬ 
vator look at the treatment the vine receives in Maderia, 
the Ionian islands, or any other country where the culti¬ 
vation of the vine is made a science, and they will soon 
see the absurdity of trying to maintain that nature, left to 
herself, will in this case perform her work as well as it 
can be done by nature’s journeymen. I think it useless, 
for the present, to advert to further proofs, but should 
your readers desire it, I will, in a future number, speak 
more fully of the utility of general pruning. 
Greenbush , Nov. 1844. Tyro. 
SWEET AND SOUR APPLE. 
A writer over the signature of “ S.” in the October 
number of the Cultivator, remarks on the various hum¬ 
bugs of the day. We are are well aware that there are 
humbugs enough afloat at this day, to satisfy the most cre¬ 
dulous wonder seekers. Among several undoubted cases 
of this character he alludes to the apple, said to be pro¬ 
duced, part sour and part sweet. The writer of this has 
within a few days, seen and tasted an apple, one side of 
which was decidedly sour, and the opposite side as deci¬ 
dedly sweet, not produced by placing the bud <c upside 
down,” but by taking parts of two buds, one from a tree 
producing sour, and one from a tree producing sweet 
apples, and joining them nicely together. 
Can you inform your readers where grafts of the “ King 
apple” can be obtained? We have eaten one from the or¬ 
chard of Mr. George Walker, near Ithaca, Tompkins co., 
and consider it the best apple produced any where. The 
King apple is red, of a medium size, slightly sour, and 
very juicy and rich. When baked, it makes a delicious 
jelly that nearly fills the pan. E. R. 
We do not know the “ King Apple,” nor where scions 
of this variety can be obtained. It is possible it may be 
what is described in some catalogues as the iC King of 
Pippins,” which Mr. Kenrick, in his New American 
Orchardist, says is “a first rate fruit, which no garden 
should be without; middle sized; oblong; color, clear 
golden yellow, fine red next the sun; rich and juicy. 
Autumn. Productive.” 
CULTIVATION OF SPRING GRAIN at the SOUTH 
It appears that in South Carolina, oats and barley may 
be sown in the fall, and the frost of winter is not hard 
enough to kill them. Our friend, Mr. Wm. Summer, of 
Pomaria, as chairman of a committee appointed for the 
purpose, recently submitted a report to the Newbury Ag¬ 
ricultural Society, on the cultivation of oats, rye, barley, 
and buckwheat, from which we gather the following 
facts:—For oat% fell sowing is preferable, as the oats are 
not liable to be injured by spring drouth; the yield, is- 
greater, and the head much better than if sown in the 
spring. If not sown in the fall, they should at all 
events be sown during the month of February. Cotton 
seed, if'applied to them, is of more importance to this,than 
to any other crop. The seed should be carefully plowed 
in, or if the ground has just been broken up, a heavy iron 
toothed harrow would perhaps answer a good purpose in 
putting the seed to a proper depth. The selection of 
proper seed is also a subject of much importance. There 
are however, some excellent varieties of oats cultivated 
among us. The Bremen orPotatoe Oats, is preferred by 
some, while others prefer the Ruffled. The black and 
white Tartarian, although not yet cultivated among us, 
are said to be the best description for the poorest ex¬ 
hausted soils, producing more on those sorts, than any 
other variety. 
“ Rye has been cultivated perhaps as long as any of the 
varieties of small grain, and its cultivation is becoming a 
matter of increased importance, as it is found particular¬ 
ly adapted for grazing, furnishing the best early spring 
pasture we can have recourse to for lambs, young calves, 
and pigs. Care sho ’d be taken not to graze horses, cat¬ 
tle and hogs upon it while young, and particularly while 
the ground is wet. It is not so easily pulled up by the 
roots, and is therefore better adapted to grazing hogs, 
than any other variety of small grain. If the intention is 
to pasture, it should invariably be put in during the month 
of September; it will then be fit to graze in February, at 
which time it will be particularly valuable, especially for 
ewes, with early lambs. 
“ Barley, has been cultivated from the earliest antiqui¬ 
ty, and was much in use among the Romans, both as food 
for soldiers and horses. It is, upon the whole, one of 
the most valuable and important grain crops, which we 
can cultivate. It is almost invariably a certain crop, as 
from its early maturity it makes itself from the winter 
seasons. For soiling cattle and horses it is superior to 
any other grain that we can have recourse to. When 
soiling is the principal object, it is advisable to sow at 
different times, from the first of October until the last of 
November; thus furnishing it in succession from the first 
of March until May. When young, it should be cut off 
carefully with a keen grass scythe, and raked neat and 
careful, and if the soil has been made rich, a second cut¬ 
ting* can be obtained. It requires a rich loamy soil, and 
where this cannot be readily obtained, the ground must 
be made rich by supplying the necessary quantity of sta¬ 
ble manure. Ashes is important to this, as it is to every 
other grain crop. Unless the ground is made rich, you 
can never expect to succeed with the crop; and as only 
a few acres are required for the purpose of soiling, even 
on the largest farm, the ground can be readily manured. 
Cotton seed applied liberally, is also an excellent manure. 
As soiling is the principal object, the spot selected for 
barley should be near, and convenient to the stables and 
cattle yard. Sow from a bushel to a bushel and a half to 
the acre. The ground should be deeply broken up, and 
the seed neatly plowed in; the whole should then be 
well harrowed, so that the ground is thoroughly and fine¬ 
ly pulverized.” 
Rotation of Crops for South Carolina. —We 
make the following extract from an address delivered be¬ 
fore the Greenvile Ag. Society of S. C., on the 19th Oct. 
last, by Hon. Joel R. Poinsett. He says:—« What¬ 
ever system may be adopted must be based upon the rules 
laid down above. Do not cultivate grain crops on the 
same land two years in succession. Do not repeat the 
same crop at too short intervals. Change the seed fre¬ 
quently. The order of succession, as I said before, is 
of little consequence. Cultivate turneps in drills, and 
abundantly, as also sweet potatoes and peas; all of these 
are to be regarded as fallow crops, fitting the land to re¬ 
ceive grain. Raise rye, the long straw of which is very 
useful in the preparation of dung. Manure your fields, 
and cultivate only that portion of land which you can 
manure sufficiently. I will venture to suggest a rotation 
of crops for four years, which it appears to me would 
suit our soil and climate:— 
In the Light Soils. 
First year, turneps and potatoes. 
Second year, rye and oats with clover seed. 
Third year, clover, cut once and plowed in. 
Fourth year, wheat. 
On Stronger Lands. 
First year, Indian corn with peas well manured. 
Second year, rye and oats with clover seed. 
Third year, clover cut and turned in. 
Fourth year, wheat. 
These rotations are founded upon the principle that as 
much land as can be spared shall be cultivated in green 
crops, and a portion of it left in pasturage, in order to 
afford sustenance for cattle, and thereby furnish manure 
for the corn and grain crops. It is vain to encourage the 
farmer to raise fine cattle, until he has been taught to cul¬ 
tivate green crops to feed them. Fine cattle fed on 
broom-sedge, and left to seek a scanty subsistence in the 
woods, will soon degenerate; whereas, the common 
stock of this District, if fed on turneps, potatoes, peas 
and clover, would improve and become an excellent race. 
The heat of the climate cannot be pleaded in excuse for 
our neglect. Lucerne will stand our sun and furnish per¬ 
manent pasture. Clover will flourish and yield abun¬ 
dantly the first and second year; after which the best use 
that can be made of it is to turn it under, to prepare the 
hand for wheat, rye and oats.” 
