THE CULTIVATOR. 
67 
last season, great loss to the potato crop was experienced there 
from the seed rotting in the ground ; and many speculations as to 
the cause, and the means of prevention, have been published in 
their agricultural periodicals. VVe have reason to believe that we 
have more or less the same cause of complaint. Our late planting 
last year of this crop, proved wretchedly defective, in consequence 
of four-tilths of the seed not growing, while those planted early 
throve as usual. The seed had been all cut early in May, but 
that planted late appeared to be defective, and tire sets partially 
decayed. Among the many causes assigned for this evil, one in 
the “ Irish Farmers’ Journal,” by Mr. Hinckley, appears to us 
to be the most rational, and his mode for prevention the most ef¬ 
ficient. He says it is caused by animalcula, which swarm in the 
cut seed, and which ultimately destroy its germinating power; 
and that steeping the seed in salt and water destroys them. Of 34 
acres under potatoes in 1832, a complete failure of the crop en¬ 
sued, from this cause. This led to various experiments, all of 
which failed of being beneficial save that of soaking the seed in 
brine. In the seed which he had not immersed in brine, he could 
distinctly see, with the aid of a powerful microscope, many small 
white particles like eggs ; and those cuts which he had immersed, 
presented no such appearance. This discovery impelled him to fol¬ 
low up the examination attentively; and every day for a short period, 
he continued to watch the appearance of the matter. The result 
was, that those white globular particles were animalcula, for in a 
few days they became quite visible to the naked eye in the form of 
maggots. The cuts that had been steeped never showed the 
slightest appearance of any such thing, and they retained their 
solidity and firmness when the other cuts were completely decay¬ 
ed and rotted. 
An interesting experiment, to preserve potatoes through the 
summer, without destroying their vegetating principle, is published 
in the Edinburgh Quarterly Journal of Agriculture for March. 
M. De Lancy, in March, 1803, buried some potatoes of the pre¬ 
ceding year’s crop in his court yard, in a hole two and a half feet 
deep, under the protection of a south wall, where the sun shone 
but a short time in the day. On the 24th Jan. 1804, nearly eleven 
months afterwards, on examining them, he found, to his astonish¬ 
ment, that, two or three excepted which were perforated by the 
ground worm, though firm, they were all perfectly sound, without 
having in the least vegetated in any respect, fit for the purpose of 
planting and the use of the table, as he boiled some, and found 
them similar in taste and flavor to new potatoes. 
This experiment, in connexion with others which we have seen 
noticed, goes to show, that it is the temperature, and not the sea¬ 
son, which induces the sprouting of potatoes. The practical im¬ 
provement which the facts suggest, is to exclude (he potatoes 
which we wish to preserve for summer use from atmospheric in¬ 
fluence and a warm temperature, in vaults, deep trenches or cool 
cellars. All vegetables keep best in a temperature a little above 
the freezing point. The potato, in particular, soon loses the fine¬ 
ness of its flavor, and becomes sodden, if stored in a warm cellar 
and exposed to the influence of the atmosphere. A farmer of 
Schoharie has been accustomed to bring fine Spitzenburgh apples 
to market on the 4th of July; and the method he adopts to pre¬ 
serve them to so unusually a late period, is simply, we are told, to 
keep them, after they are gathered, in a temperature as little above 
32° as possible. 
ECONOMY OF FODDER. 
The editor of the Maine Farmer has an appropriate and excellent 
article on this subject. Quoting the adage that “ experience is 
the best schoolmaster,” he thinks the late scarcity of cattle food 
ought to admonish the farmer to prevent a repetition of the evil, 
1, by economising their, hay and straw by cutting it before they 
feed it to their stock ; 2, by cultivating root crops more extensive¬ 
ly ; and 3, by not selling off their course grain until they know 
they will not want it themselves. 
It has been demonstrated by repeated experiments, that a great 
saving of hay is effected by cutting it in the straw or hay cutter 
before it is fed out. It prevents waste—the whole being eaten and 
digested, and with less labor by the animal, when thus cut. In 
very many of the horse establishments in Great Britain, and even 
in our country, the custom of cutting feed has been adopted with 
great advantage. The ordinary ration of hay for a horse is 28 lbs.; 
and it has been found, that when cut and mixed with the daily 
I provender, that from 8 to 12 lbs. of cut hay will answer as well 
as 28 lbs. uncut. Here then, with a little extra labor, which eve- 
' ry farmer can bestow in winter, without loss, at least 50 per cent 
! of a farmer’s hay may be saved in seasons of scarcity; and this 
item, during the recent scarcity, would have amounted to no in¬ 
considerable sum. 
One word, at this time, upon our perhaps hackneyed topic of 
root culture, may exhibit its advantages in a favorable light. Our 
stock was fed with ruta baga daily till about the 24th May, when 
our store became exhausted; and we were consequently enabled 
to sell much hay, which but for these roots they would have requir- 
Jed, and to obtain for it a high price. Now we consider 2 bushels 
of ruta baga better than a ration, or 28 lbs. hay, for any domestic 
animal; and by this estimate, the thousand bushels of roots, 
which we estimate to have fed out, has enabled us to sell seven 
tons of hay, which at $15 per ton, not deemed high during the 
j spring, would bring the value of our roots to $105. Again—say 
the average product of hay is two tons the acre, and of ruta baga 
600 bushels. By the estimate we have made of the ration, the 
acre of hay would keep an ox 143 days, and the acre of ruta baga 
500 days. The hay ground would afford after feed or rouen ; the 
rutabaga early feed till 25th June, ora cutting of clover hay. 
The difference in labor on the two crops would be in a measure 
equalized by the value of the turnip tops. With proper soil and 
implements, and after a little experience, the cost of ruta baga need 
not average, to the cultivator, over two to three cents the bushel. 
It is proper that we should express our doubt, whether this root will 
succeed well south of our state ; the failure of Mr. Cox, of Bur¬ 
lington, N. J. and others, in their culture, has induced these 
doubts. In the north, however, this plant is at home, and will not 
fail to requite well for the labor bestowed in its culture. 
jJ new machine for cleaning hemp is announced in the Edin¬ 
burgh Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, which promises to super¬ 
sede all others, and, if what is reported of it be correct, to render 
the hemp crop far more profitable than it has been hitherto. The 
machine is composed of two metal plates, supported by springs 
to modulate the compressure, and the hemp in passing through 
these plates undergoes a friction, and after passing through seve¬ 
ral rollers, is wholly divested of its glutinous matter, and is of a 
soft delicate fibre, which may, after being hackled, be spun and 
applied to the same purposes as the finest flax. The apprehension 
is, that strength must be sacrificed in obtaining fineness of fibre. 
i The young States of Ohio and Indiana, are setting a noble ex¬ 
ample to their elder sisters, in making legislative provision for 
the establishment of County Agricultural Societies. In the latter, 
a State Board of Agriculture is established, which we perceive by 
the papers of that state is actively engaged in the organization of 
county societies. 
A correspondent at Goshen, sends us the following directions 
for making superior Indian Johnny-cakes, with a request that they 
may have a place in the Cultivator. 
“ Take one quart of milk, three eggs, one tea-spoonful salara- 
tis, one tea-cup of wheat flour, and Indian meal sufficient to make 
J a batter of the consistence of pan-cakes. Bake quick, in pans 
previously buttered, and eat warm with butter or milk. The ad¬ 
dition of wheat flour will be found to be a great improvement in 
; the art of making these cakes. Those who have not got eggs will 
find that it will do very well without. 
Siberian Lyme-grass. —It is announced in the last Edinburgh 
Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, that this grass, recently intro¬ 
duced, promises to become a valuable acquisition to the farmer. 
It is a broad leaved, seemingly coarse grass, will grow in light 
soils, gives a very abundant product, and is eaten with avidity by 
all animals. 
jJnimalized carbon, is the term applied to a new manure now 
employed in France and Denmark, and for the manufacture of 
which, a Frenchman has obtained a patent. It is sold at 35s. 
($7.77) per ton. A Dane has sold 250 tons in Scotland. 
The evils attendant on sloth are only to be conquered by atten¬ 
tion to business.— Seneca. Without employment, the mind be¬ 
comes relaxed and inert. 
