86 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
deaf to the writings of those who have examined the subject, and 
whose object in writing has been to benefit them. 
The divine must spend years in studying tlie bible, and in ex¬ 
amining commentaries upon it, before he is qualified for the duties 
of his office. The lawyer must spend years in study, before he is 
capable of pleading at the bar. The physician must spend years 
in studying and examining the writings of others, on the treatment 
of diseases, before he is qualified for attending to the sick. But 
many a farmer supposes he can be taught nothing with respect to 
cultivating the soil. He lias already the art to perfection ; and he 
would almost as soon think of putting a rattle snake into his bo¬ 
som, as to read on this subject. But the times are fast changing ; 
bo fits and periodicals on this subject are now read by many with¬ 
out prejudice. Those that cultivate the soil, are now rising from 
the degradation in which they have so long remained. Formerly 
it was thought that farmers were wholly unfit for any thing ex¬ 
cept to till the soil, and they were considered the offscouring and 
the dregs of mankind. But at the present day, the farmer is fast 
rising to respectability and he now fills places in society, for which 
he was formerly thought wholly unfit. Formerly it was thought, 
if he could read, write, and say the multiplication table, it was all 
that was necessary for him to know. Not a year ago, a young 
man applied to bis father for permission to attend a select school, 
then kept in the town in which they resided. Ah, said his father, 
I would not have you attend that school for a thousand dollars. 
The reason was because he thought learning worse than useless 
for the farmer. 
But these dark ages with respect to agriculture are rapidly flit¬ 
ting by us; and the sun that has been so long hid in clouds and 
darkn-ss, is now breaking forth in its meridian splendor, dispelling 
the fogs and mists in which our land has so long been enveloped. 
__J. A. B. 
TO DESTROY THE CANADA THISTLE. 
Cut them off near the ground, when they are lull in the blow or 
a little past. This process I have tried tor three years, and find 
that it entirely eraaicates them from the fields by once mowing. 
I have noticed several modes of destroying this noxious weed in 
the Cultivator, but find none attended with so small expense as 
mine, which has induced me to send you the above. 
SOLOMON W. JEWETT. 
Weybridge, Vt. Ju ly 23, 1835. 
Remark.— In confirmation f the above, we can state, that in 1834, we un¬ 
expectedly found a quarter of an acre of rank thistles in a piece ol grass ground 
recently laid down. They were in full bloom when the grass was mown. 
The present year, the number was apparently diminished live-sixths and what 
remained were stunted dwarf plants. The thistle spreads most in ploughed 
ground and in highways, where they are rooted among by the hogs.— Conduc¬ 
tor. _ __ 
TO DESTROY ANT-HILLS. 
The Pismire [ants] are becoming quite a detriment on some of 
our valuable lands, especially meadows, by the raising of mounds 
and destroying of crops. They, similar to the honey-bee, when 
too numerous in one family, emigrate to new grounds and are thus 
constantly multiplying their habitations. They may be destroyed 
by taking out of the centre of the mound, a block the width and 
depth of a spade, just as winter sets in, or before the ground freezes. 
tVeybridgc , July 23, 1835. S. W. JEWETT. 
WIRE WORM. 
Schenectady, \8th June, 1835. 
g IR —J n many parts of this county, the wire worm and grub 
have injured the corn, oats and barley, growing on land that had 
previously been in grass. Does ploughing grass land in the fall kill 
the worm? I am inclined to think it does not, because a meadow 
on our Mohawk fiats, containing four acres, was ploughed last fall 
and planted this spring with corn previously soaked in a solution 
of copperas. The corn planted on three of the acres was also 
smeared with tar. The worms have been much more destructive 
among the corn that was tarred, than that which was not. This 
was probably owing to their being more numerous in that part of 
the field. A few days since, in reading one of the late numbers of 
that valuable English periodical, the Farmers’ Series of Useful 
Knowledge, I found that in England they destroy the worms in 
grass lands in the following manner:—Knowing that the worms 
come above ground in the night, they at that time spread quick lime 
in a state of powder, over the grass, which is evenly done by throw¬ 
ing it with a shovel high in the air from the rear of the cart, which 
is driven across the fie id. The worms crawling about at that time 
are covered with lime, which soon kills them. 
Respectfully yours, C. H. T. 
Remarks. —The v\ ire w orm, we think, does not come to the surface at night 
— it remains fixed in the corn upon which it preys. It is the alkaline property 
of the lime, carried down by water, which destroys them if any thing. Tar 
is no preventative, nor fall ploughing, nor any application that we know of. 
Salt, at the rate of two or three bushels to the acre, is said to be efficacious. 
The grub or cut-worm comes to the surface at night.— Conductor. 
THE MADDER CROP. 
Hon. J. Buel —Sir—As I consider the madder crop to be one of 
importance, as well to the grower of the article as to the country 
a* large, I deem it proper to send you a few lines, giving some de¬ 
tails of the most improved method of cultivating and preparing ihe 
article for use; which, if you deem them worthy a place in the 
Cultivator, you are at liberty to insert. 
The land best adapted to this crop is a retentive, strong loam 
soil, moist, but so situated that the water may pass off in the wet 
saasons of the year. The plant accommodates itself to almost any 
soil; for 1 last fall harvested a piece that yielded at the rate of fi e 
thousand pounds to the acre, (in hills) which was in a dry loamy 
soil, suitable for the wheat or corn crop. 
The method of pi mting has been formerly in hills, from four to 
six feet apart. The hills yielded from two to three pounds of 
ground madder each, on good land. 
Madder growers have lately made great improvements in the 
mode of planting. The drill method was introduced two or three 
years since, and is now the only way practised by those who raise 
inadder in any considerable quantities. The first drills that were 
planted, were set in single rows, about six feet apart and eighteen 
inches from plant to plant. These were found to be too near to¬ 
gether, both for the good of the crop and the convenience of tend¬ 
ing it. It is now ascertained that the best method of planting 
madder, is in beds six feet wide, with four rows of plants to a bed, 
leaving a space between the beds nine feet wide unoccupied ; or it 
may be planted with rows of corn or potatoes the fir.-t season. 
This space is useful for various purposes, as passing with a team 
to carry manure, should it be considered necessary during the first 
and second seasons. The manure should be cropped between the 
beds, and mixed with a plough before it is used in beds. 
Particular care should be taken at the time of planting, that the 
ground be not too dry. It should be covered with clear, moist dirt, 
about two or two and a haif inches deep. Soon as it has come up, 
it should be carefully hoed and cleared from weeds. When it is 
six or eight inches high, the tops should be covered up nearly to 
the ends ; and covered again soon as they are six or eight inches 
high as before. In the fall, before the frost kills the tops, they 
should be covered entirely up. It is then left to lie till the next 
spring. It should be managed in the same mammr during the se¬ 
cond as the first season: but requires only two dressings before 
covering up in the fall. During the third season it should be dressed 
once certainly, and twice if practicable; and by this time the tops 
may be expected to cover the ground nearly from one bed to the 
other. During the fourth season, it requires no attention till the 
time for digging, which maybe any time in the months of Septem¬ 
ber or October. At digging time, the tops should be cut. off with 
a scythe, and rolled out of the way; then w th a plough, cut a 
deep furrow on each side of the bed: afterwards take dungforks 
and shake the dirt from the roots. They may then be picked up. 
Proceed in this manner till the whole bed is dug, washed clean, 
and dried irt a hop kiln. A stove is preferable to charcoal for dry¬ 
ing. Fifty bushels of roots may be dried in a kiln 12 feet square. 
They should be turned while in the kiln, at least once in six hours, 
until they are thoroughly dried, which takes from 36 to 40 hours. 
When taken out of the kiln, they should be taken immediately to 
the mill for grinding. Madder has formerly been ground in grist 
mills, but a much more convenient and economical way, is to grind 
in cast iion mills, constructed expressly for grinding madder.— 
They also answer a valuab’e purpose, for grinding coarse grain for 
provender, in sections of country where grist mills are not near by. 
They may be propelled by horse power, (one horse being sufficient,) 
or by water power if it is convenient. One of these mills will 
