THE CULTIVATOR. 
59 
FOOD OF PLANTS—SALT FOR POTATOES. 
1 
Potash,. 
Soda, ....... 
Lime* ...... 
Magnesia, ... 
Alumina, ... 
Ox. of iron,. 
Ox. manga.. 
Silicia, ..... 
Sulph. acid,. 
Plios. acid,.. 
Chlorine, ... 
WHEAT. 
25 bu. per acre. 
barley. 
40 bu. per acre. 
OATS. i 
70 bu. per. acre. 
RYE. J 
25 bu. per acre.| 
j PEAS.. | POTATOES. 
[32 bu. per acre. 332 bu. per acre. 
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£ H 
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£ 
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3 
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3.3 
3.5 
1.5 
1.5 
0.4 
6.0 
0.8 
0.6 
0.2 
0.6 
0.9 
7.2 
1.0 
2.7 
86.0, 
1.0 
5.0 
0.9| 
3.9 
4.4 
8.7 
2.5 
3.1 
92.0 
1.8 
5.6 
1.1 
5.6 
5.8 
2.1 
3.6 
0.6 
23.6 
1.2 
4.2 
0.4 
4.5 
1.1 
12.9 
1.8 
3.4 
0.3 
0.5 
90.0 
2.8 
3.7 
1.5 
10.1 
6.9 
15.0 
5.4 
3.9 
0.3 
0.5 
113.6 
4.0 
7.9 
1.9 
3.7 
3.3 
2.5 
1.7 
0.3 
1.0 
50.0 
0.9 
1.5 
0.2 
32.7 
5.7 : 
0.8 
0.2 
172.0 
3.0 
0.5 
0.2 
36.4 
3.3 
8.2 
2.5 
0.5 
1.0 
222.0 
3.9 
2.0 
0.4 
8.0 
1.8 
0.7 
0.4 
0.6 
0.5 
2.5 
0.4 
0.7 
0.1 
1.3 g 
5.0 I4 * d 
7.3 9.1 
0.5 1.2 
1.0 2.0 
1 0.5 
92.0 94.5 
7.0 7.4 
2.0 2.7 
0.7 0.8i 
16.2 
14.7 
1.2 
2.7 
0.4 
0.2 
8.2 
1.0 
3.8 
3 0.8 
12.2 
163.2 
20.2 
3.6 
1.2 
0.5 
60.0 
20.2 
14.2 
0.3 
28.4 
14.7 
164.4 
22.9 
4.0 
1.4 
0.5 
68.2 
21.2 
18.0 
1.1 
80.5 
46.6 
6.6 
6.5 
1.0 
0.6 
1.7 
10.8 
8.0 
3.2 
327.3 
0.3 
517.0 
: 7o.o 
0.2 
0.8 
196.0 
16.8 
78.3 
2.0 
407.3 
46.9 
523.6 
76.5 
1.2 
1.4 
197.7 
27.6 
86.3 
5.2 
L. Tucker, Esq.—Above is a table, by which you 
may at a glance, ascertain what materials are requisite 
for the production oCsuch crops as are generally cultiva¬ 
ted in this region of country. It is condensed mostly 
from <e Prof. Johnston’s Agricultural Lectures.’ 5 His 
Analysis gives the contents in a hundred or thousand 
parts; but in order to make it more convenient for refer¬ 
ence, I have collected the facts into one table, and adapt¬ 
ed them, according to his estimates, to a single acre, 
giving the amount of each requisite material in pounds 
and its decimal parts. 
It will be seen by the above that the grain crops re¬ 
quire but a small quantity of material for perfecting them, 
beside the vegetable matter with which the soil should 
abound, which is doubtless the only permanent source 
from whence plants derive their carbon—-the most, in¬ 
deed the whole of this material may be found in four 
substances, very common, and within the reach of every 
one, namely: ashes, salt, lime and plaster. 
I will mention one experiment with salt, which it will 
be seen by reference to the above, is very essential to the 
growth of the potatoe. Three years ago I had a field in 
excellent heart, planted with potatoes, which gave an ex¬ 
cellent crop, averaging three hundred bushels per acre. 
The next year it happened that it became necessary to 
plant the same field again with potatoes; but I feared lest 
the worms should destroy the crop, as they appeared quite 
numerous at the first digging; but I proposed to remedy 
this by sowing salt, which I did about a fortnight before 
planting, at the rate of a barrel per acre. The salt I 
supposed would kill the worms, nor did I calculate upon 
any other effect from it; but it did not kill the vermin, 
for the ground was as thickly infested by them as in the 
previous year; and upon digging the potatoes, the crop 
exceeded my expectations, and to my surprise gave an 
average of 420 bushels per acre over the field. The po¬ 
tatoe being a very exhausting crop, I did not then know 
why the second crop should be the largest of the two; 
but since I have seen an analysis of the potatoe and of 
salt, the wonder is easily explained, and I am constrain¬ 
ed to believe that had I put on, beside the salt, 20 bush¬ 
els of unleached ashes per acre, the crop would have 
been increased to 600 bushels per acre. 
Salt is not so destructive of vegetation as most people 
imagine. From some small experiments that I have 
m»de, I should judge that it would take sixty bushels per 
acre, of our common fine salt, before vegetation would 
oe materially injured. In conclusion, allow me to re¬ 
commend Professor Johnston’s Agricultural Lectures to 
every farmer, as a book particularly interesting to him, 
and worthy of a place in his library. 
P. S. Would the potash in leaves and twigs be availa¬ 
ble to plants, without their being first burned, and in 
what time ? 
As the cause of the potatoe rot has created considera¬ 
ble discussion of late, I will state a fact that may not be 
altogether unworthy of notice. I had a new variety rai¬ 
sed from the potatoe bail, two years ago, that was worse 
affected than many of the old varieties. Yours, &c. 
La Fayette, Onon . Co., Dec. 1844. E. V. W. Dox. 
HUSSEY’S REAPING MACHINE. 
Mr. Editor — I believe that if there was a more gen¬ 
eral correspondence between the farming community 
through the medium of agricultural journals, and their 
experience more generally imparted to each other, with 
regard to seeds, their qualities, varieties, &c,, we should 
be much benefited thereby. There is nothing perhaps, 
from which greater results would accrue, than a general 
information as to the constaht improvement in tools and 
machinery generally applicable to agricultural operations. 
We here abouts, see in some of the northern papers, 
about once a year, that they have had a plowing match, 
and that some maker receives the premium for his plow, 
possessing many advantages over others. This is gene¬ 
rally the last we hear of it. 
Of all the agricultural implements which have come 
under my notice for some years, I think there is none 
more worthy of special notice than Hussey's Grain Reap¬ 
ing Machine. I have used one for two years, and am 
satisfied that it is competent to perform what Mr. Hussey 
sets forth. Since his improvement in adding the fore 
wheels, it can cut twenty acres of wheat in a day, and the 
work is perfectly done. Another great recommendation 
is, that the machine is permanent in all its parts. I have 
used mine for two years, without having previously pre¬ 
pared the ground by removing stone and other obstacles, 
and have broken no part, and find nothing giving way. 
Many of our farmers were prevented last year from pro¬ 
curing machines from Mr. Hussey in consequence of un¬ 
derstanding that some of McCormick’s would be sent to 
the county on trial. They were sent, and as readily ta¬ 
ken on trial. I did not see them work, but inquired of 
the gentlemen who used them very particularly as to 
their operation, feeling interested myself in the result of 
the trial, and was in every case informed that McCor- 
micii’s were not comparable with Hussey’s. One very 
serious objection to McCormick’s was. that the hand who 
pushed off the grain, follows the machine on foot; neces¬ 
sarily the machine must go very slow; and then, from 
the manner in which the grain falls on the platform, it is 
much tangled when it is pulled off in the sheaf. This 
objection does not apply to Hussey’s; the raker rides 
on the machine, and can with ease do very good work. 
I am ignorant whether it has been tried in your fine Ge¬ 
nesee country. If not, it should be next harvest, and I 
think without doubt, it would give general satisfaction. 
Respectfully yours, L. W. Washington. 
Halltown , Jefferson Co., Fa., Dec. 19, 1844. 
A beneficent Providence has so ordered the affairs of 
this world that we cannot do good to others without 4i 
rectly or indirectly doing good to ourselves. 
