1852. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
339 
well put up, there will be no danger of the fodder be¬ 
ing injured by the weather. 
When sown broadcast, the corn should be thickly 
■scattered, so as to prevent the weeds from growing. The 
best time for cutting the corn for green feed, is after the 
stalk has attained its full growth, or when the ear is be¬ 
ginning to form. However, those who have more expe¬ 
rience, may know better about the time of cutting. Let 
every farmer make a trial of half an acre of corn fod¬ 
der, and after one experiment they will continue to raise 
it. L. Durand. Derby, Cl., July 28.1852, 
-- 
Advantages of a Change of Seed. 
A recent number of the North British Agriculturist 
contains an article on this subject, from.which we gather 
the following statements. Experience has proved that 
a change from an inferior to a richer district, is seldom 
beneficial, but that a change from a warmer to a colder 
district, is always followed by a beneficial result, in 
somewhat shortening the period of growth, an increase 
of weight, appearance of sample, and very generally in 
the produce, the difference in straw being equally ob¬ 
servable. It has also been found that now and improv¬ 
ed varieties of grain in a few years generally lose their 
distinctive characters. This has been imputed to a fall¬ 
ing off of the vitality of the new, and consequently hy¬ 
brid plant, showing the necessity of systematically select¬ 
ing and propagating agricultural seeds of all kinds. A 
change of seed wheat from one district to another, has 
frequently resulted in an increase of produce of about 
two bolls, (twelve bushels,) an acre. On a farm pos¬ 
sessing a variety of soil, the change of seeds from one 
part to the other, has always been beneficial. The in¬ 
troduction of seed wheat from a region where this crop 
is not affected by the smut, is said to prevent this disease, 
even better than any preparation of the seed. The more 
recently the grain has been removed from the straw the 
better, as it is liable to become musty when lying in 
store. 
The same deterioration in quantity and quality is no- 
ticable in seed oats, when the same seed is continued. 
The following advice of the Editor, will be equally ap¬ 
plicable to farmers in this country. 
“We hope gentlemen will continue to direct their at¬ 
tention to the subject of change of seed, and that they 
will favor the public with the results of their experience. 
As agriculture is emerging from the rule of thumb prac¬ 
tice, it will prove highly advantageous for its speedy ad¬ 
vancement, that experiments on this, as well as other 
subjects, be only undertaken with care, and upon cor¬ 
rect principles; that not only the land, with produce, be 
measured, but also every care exercised in noticing the 
varieties of the grain, the nature of the soil on which it 
is grown, the climate, as regards elevation, moisture, &c., 
the period of sowing, coming into ear, and w T hen ready 
for cutting, with the result of the after produce. Noth¬ 
ing should be regarded as unimportant in conducting ag¬ 
ricultural experiments. We would suggest the impor¬ 
tance of undertaking experiments, not only with grain, 
the growth of a different climate, but that that these ex¬ 
periments should embrace the question of steeping the 
seeds in liquids, containing a solution of different sub¬ 
stances, snch as dissolved nitrate of soda, potash, sul¬ 
phate of ammonia, he., and also how far the plan of 
coating the seed with such a substance as guano, for in¬ 
stance, affects the future produce. We make these sug¬ 
gestions with the greater confidence, as we have experi¬ 
mentally found that, the produce was sensibly increased 
of wheat, oats, and barley, by steeping in such solutions, 
and that steeping the two latter grains checked, if not 
wholly prevented, black heads. 3 ’ 
Crab Grass. 
Luther Tucker, Esq.—The above named grass is su¬ 
perior to all others in the southern U. States, for the 
production of hay; and not inferior in quality to north¬ 
ern hay. 
Not having noticed a description of it in print, I send 
you a brief one, and trust you will conclude it is not only 
a valuable, but a remarkable- grass—and, in order for a 
better understanding of its merits, I will give you a de¬ 
scription of a southern meadow in Louisiana, on the banks 
of the Mississippi River. 
The ground is plowed usually in January or February, 
every season; and sowed in oats, and harvested in May or 
June; (no grass seed is ever sown.) 
The Crab grass makes its appearance early in the spring, 
and by the time the oats are harvested, the grass is a few 
inches high; and if the season is favorable, it will pro¬ 
duce from one to two tons of hay per acre, in Septem¬ 
ber, seed enough having fallen from this to stock the 
same. 
I have harvested a crop of oats, and cut a full crop of 
grass from the same land, every year, for many years in 
succession, without any apparent diminution in quantity. 
The grass grows from one to three feet in length, inclin¬ 
ed to run, resembling English grass, or red top. It has 
never failed of a crop. It generally dies out in the win¬ 
ter, and comes up from the seed in the spring. It is fine 
for pastures. S. Tillotson. Canton , Conn., July 15. 
[for the cultivator. 
The Plow. 
I sins? the plow, the good old plow, 
Which since its race began, 
True riches to the world has brought— 
True dignity to man. 
And though its share may show the soil, 
From mountain side or plain, 
It is a wholesome, honest soil, 
The soil that leaves no stain. 
Unlike that soil which guilt imparts,' 
When from the narrow way 
Which truth and honor have marked out, 
Man dares to go astray. 
The yielding earth its fnrrows takes 
As seas the vessel’s prow, 
But not a furrow does it p ant, 
Or wrinkle on the brow. 
Though forged to break the stubborn glebe, 
And act the hoslile part, 
It only asks the harden’d hand, 
And not the harden’d heart. 
No widow’s tears or orphan’s wail 
Upon the breeze are borne, 
But peace anii plenty, health, and joy 
Its victories adorn. 
It fathoms not the darksome mine, 
The grains of gold to gain, 
But hopefully turns up the soil 
Which yields the golden grain. 
God speed the Plow ! for carking care, 
Nor penury's chill blight, 
Shall follow him who follows thee, 
And keeps thy plowshare bright. C. F. L. F. 
Milwaukic , Wisconsin. 
Your character cannot be essentially injured, except by 
your own acts. 
Keep your own secrets if you have any. 
