THE \CULTIVAT0U. 
330 
NoV. 
which the coal is formed ; on distillation, the nitrogen 
and carbon share the constituents of water, forming car- 
bonic acid and ammonia. 
I have observed in the recent agricultural journals, 
certain new methods for the prevention of the rot in 
potatoes. With Klotzch’s method of clipping the 
sprouts, when the plant is seven or eight inches high, 
and then again, four or five weeks later, you are proba- ! 
bly acquainted. It does not seem to have realised the 
expectations excited by his statement. A farmer in 
this vicinity tells me that he has tried the method with¬ 
out success. It seemed to increase the vigor of the 
plants, but did not prevent the rot. Klotzeh warns 
against cutting the sprouts more than half an inch. 
A correspondent of the Agricultural Journal for 
Rhenish Prussia, recommends piercing the potatoes to 
be used for seed with a -wooden instrument (the holes 
to be two or three in number and to reach the centre.) 
and then soaking them in water containing from two to 
three per cent, of sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol.) He 
supposes the infectious matter thus destroyed. He ad¬ 
vises also plucking the blossoms to prevent infection from 
other fields, and planting deeper, inasmuch as it has 
been observed that the potatoes nearest the surface are 
generally most diseased. He professes thus to have 
raised potatoes, almost without exception, sound, while 
alternate hills, not thus treated, were very much diseas¬ 
ed. Another correspondent of the same Journal uses 
gypsum, throwing it over the plants when moist with 
dew, and has equally conclusive evidence of the value 
of this means against the rot. He supposes the gyp¬ 
sum to act where applied, that is, upon the leaves 
and stalk. How it can act here, it is hard to say, for 
the usual conditions of its action are not present. 
John Flock, of Montabour, Nassau, has recently 
published the following method as a specific against the 
rot. He leaves rather larger intervals than usual be¬ 
tween the hills. When the plant has reached a conve¬ 
nient size, he hoes up the earth against it on one side, 
to one half its height, then bends the plant over hori¬ 
zontally, and forms the hill so that an inch or two of 
the plant projects from the middle of the slope. The 
plant on further growth, makes an angle at this point. 
The object of the contrivance is to lead off the rain, 
which otherwise follows the stalk to the roots, and car¬ 
ries with it the matter which causes the disease in the 
tubers. This view of the progress of the disease, acquires 
probability from the fact that after a rain potatoes before 
sound often become diseased and rot rapidly—again, from 
the fact that the disease commences on the outside of the 
tuber, and is worse nearest the surface of the ground; 
further, from two observations of Mr. Flock, that sug¬ 
gested his method, namely, that there was always most 
disease in the hills whose plants grew straightest, and 
consequently, through the influence of the wind, formed 
a funnel-shaped opening about the roots, which gave the 
rain easy access ; again, that where the manure was 
applied m such a form and manner as to protect the 
roots in a degree from the rain, there was always least 
disease. 
One of the recent chemical journals contains the re¬ 
cords of a very interesting series of experiments on the 
necessary inorganic constituents of the oat plant. Sin¬ 
gle grains were sown in pure charcoal, prepared from 
sugar, this boing contained in little tin vessels lined 
with wax. Without addition of any thing to the char¬ 
coal, a plant was obtained, but it was very small and 
sickly. Ammonia salts alone produced a plant of a 
lively green color, hut still small and weak; increase 
of these in a second and third experiment killed the 
plant. The mixture, whose composition is given be¬ 
low. exclusive, of ammonia salts, gave a plant of dou¬ 
ble the size. On supplying in another experiment, all the 
salts of the mixture, the weight of the plant was quadru¬ 
ple the last, but still weak for want of iron, as another 
experiment proved. The mixture,* with addition of ox¬ 
ide of iron being furnished, a much finer plant was ob¬ 
tained, but withered spots appeared upon its leaves. In 
another ease, where the salts of the last experiment 
were not supplied, with addition of a little carbonate of 
magnesia, no such appearance was observed, and the 
plant was beside in all respects materially improved. 
It was ascertained farther that soda could not be sub¬ 
stituted for potash, nor magnesia for lime, without in¬ 
jury to the plant. Many other experiments with omis¬ 
sion of individual constituents were made, from which 
it was inferred which are essential and which not. The 
conclusion from the whole investigation was that silicic, 
phosphoric and sulphuric acids, potash, lime, magnesia, 
iron, and manganese are essential constituents of the 
oat plant. The investigation was commenced so late 
in the season, that the development of the grain could 
not fairly be considered. The above conclusions have 
no reference to this point. More phosphates in propor¬ 
tion would certainly be required, 
I give you below, the results of my own analysis of 
the ash of oats. The dry grains yielded 4.71 per cent, 
of ash. This ash contained^ expressed in per cent., si¬ 
licic acid, 53.97; sulphuric acid, 0.49,” phosphoric acid, 
17.35; lime, 3.00; magnesia, 7.08; potash, 12.94; so¬ 
da, 2.02; oxide of iron, 0.60. 
Prof. Liebig is at present engaged in re-writing his 
Animal Chemistry. Many of the chemists in his labo¬ 
ratory have been consequently engaged with investiga¬ 
tions in this department. We are often rewarded with 
most interesting results; for instance, as the result of 
an investigation shared by three among us, we find that 
the composition of the inorganic part of the blood, of 
urine, and of the aqueous extract from meat, are most 
strikingly similar. The result was to be expected on 
theoretical grounds, but it was interesting to prove it. 
Such facts are not alone interesting—they are of im¬ 
portant application. Another investigation, not how¬ 
ever, very recent, proves that the whole character of 
the blood can be changed at will, and that in a very 
short period, by change of diet. I do not refer to a 
mere variation of the proportions of its constituents, 
but to such a variation as implies a material change 
of character, as for instance, the replacement of its al¬ 
kaline phosphates by carbonates. That the influence 
of such a change in the constitution of a fluid that 
bathes all the nerves and tissues of the animal frame 
must be a very material one, is evident. Its efficiency 
in the treatment of disease, has been by no means fully 
tested. 
You shall hear from me again soon. 
Very truly yours, John A. Porter. 
Household Comforts. —The female editor of the 
Pittsburgh Visitor, in recommending comfortable and 
cheap furniture for farmers’ houses, in the form of set¬ 
tees or lounges, makes the following remarks: l( I can 
tell no reason why rich folks, who do not work, should 
have all the comforts of life, while any one who pleases 
might have a good share of them by only thinking of it! 
I have many a time gone into the houses of rich farm¬ 
ers, when I thought their best room was not half as 
comfortable looking as their barn. Here one could 
find a nice place to loll and rest, on the hay and straw; 
.but there, there was nothing but bare benches and 
chairs to sit on, holt upright.” 
* Composition of the mixture : 
0.14 grammes Silicate of Potash. 
0.50 “ Carbonate of Lime. 
0.04 “ Phosphate “ 
010 H Sulphate “ 
0 04 “ Carbonate of Magnesia. 
0.10 “ Nitrate of Ammonia. 
A gramme is about 15$ grains. 
