146 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
greatly retarded. This was particularly the case upon flat surfaces, 
with retentive soils or subsoils. Ridging and underdraining would 
not only have diminished the evil effects of water, but they would, in 
many cases, have rendered the ground fit for the seed much earlier, 
and, by leaving it more dry and porous, have considerably increased 
its temperature,—a consideration of great weight in the culture of In¬ 
dian corn, and some other farm crops. Underdraining enabled us to 
plant a level piece of land, naturally abounding in springs, with corn, 
from the 12th to the 15th of May, which ripened well, and was har¬ 
vested without the intervention of frosts. Grounds well drained, are 
less subject to late and early frosts, than those which abound in mois¬ 
ture ,' while draining and ridging tend to counteract the evil effects of 
severe winters upon small grain. It is the water in the soil which cau¬ 
ses it to heave by frosts, and the alternate expansion and contraction, 
which breaks and bares the roots of winter grain. 
We will here refer the reader to our notice of Baron Yon Yoght's 
practice, in vol. 2, No. 1, of the Cultivator, as affording a good illustra¬ 
tion of what can be done, to avert calamities to the farmer, incidental 
to bad seasons. The Baron commenced on a worn-out farm, of a wet 
thin soil, which did not repay the labor bestowed in its culture, and by 
the kind of intelligent industry we speak of, in a few years he convert¬ 
ed it into one of uncommon productiveness, which became noted as a 
pattern farm in the north of Germany. He in a great measure effected 
his improvements—1. by efficient underdrains; 2—by increasing the 
depth of the tilth ; 3—by ridging; and 4—by alternating and turning in 
green crops. By underdraining, he tells us, he was enabled to gain three 
weeks in his spring work, and secure his seed and his crops from an 
excess of rain afterwards. By throwing his land, in autumn, into one- 
bout ridges, for his spring crops, a perfect drainage was provided for 
the rains of winter, and the ground remained light and dry, for early 
cultivation. By increasing the depth of the tilth, or soil, he gave great¬ 
er scope to the roots of his plants, increased the amount of their food, 
and provided against the contingency of drought. By turning in green 
crops, he increased the fertility of the soil, and rendered it more po¬ 
rous, and pervious to the genial influence of the air, the sun, and the 
dews. What has been done in Germany, may be done in the United 
States. 
The insects, which have been most prejudicial, are the Hessian fly, 
the grain worm, and the cut worm. 
The best preventives against the depredations of the Hessian fly , 
seem to be, good soil and good culture, which shall ensure vigorous 
growth,—and sowing after autumnal frosts, by which the young wheat 
is believed to escape the fly in the fall. Some experiments, recorded 
in the third volume of the Memoirs of the New-York Board of Agricul 
ture, and elsewhere, of sowing caustic lime upon the grain in the spring 
of the year, seem to encourage the idea that it saves the crop, at least 
partially, from the fly; but these will hardly justify us in pronouncing 
the remedy efficient. It is worthy of further trial; and we should like 
to be advised of any results that may strengthen the probability of suc¬ 
cess. 
The grain worm is yet unknown in the south, and but partially known 
in the west. In this vicinity it has been far more formidable than the 
Hessian fly. It has greatly diminished the culture of the wheat crop 
among us, and caused a serious diminution in the product of the little 
sown. The insect abides in its destructive state but a short time; and 
the observations which have been made upon its habits give weight to 
the conjecture, that wheat sown early in the autumn, or late in the 
spring, will be most likely to escape its ravages ;—the grain of the first 
becoming hard before the fly makes its appearance, and the late spring- 
sown not coming into bloom until the insect has assumed its chrysalis 
form. 
The cut worm has been universally destructive, not only to com 
and other grain, but to grasses and garden crops. The heavy snows, 
by protecting them from the severity of the winter, probably tended to 
increase the ravages of both the cut worm and the fly. Lime and ash¬ 
es seem to afford the best remedy against the cut worm, applied in the 
ground with the seed, or, what we would prefer, at (he surface of the 
ground above it. We have recorded several instances of these proving 
efficacious. In May we transplanted a hundred seedling Dahlias, and 
a number of cabbages, into our garden. The first night, ten or a do¬ 
zen of the dahlias, and a number of the cabbages, were eaten off at the 
surface of the ground by the grub. We immediately covered the sur¬ 
face of the ground with powdered lime, and lost no more plants, save 
a couple, and round the stems of these the lime did not happen to be 
spread. The worm attacks the plant at or near the surface of the 
ground. The alkali not only presents a barrier at this point, but the 
soil underneath becomes saturated with it, and destroys or drives them 
away. We think there is reason in the remark of a correspondent in 
our last number, that if the worm can feed upon succulent grass, un¬ 
der the surface, it will not care to come above the surface to destroy 
the young corn, and that planting upon a fresh ploughed clover ley is a 
pretty sure way of escaping their depredations. We have often plant¬ 
ed upon such a ley, without experiencing any injury from the grub; 
but we do not remember to have planted on an old sward, turned over 
the previous fall or summer, without having suffered severely from 
them. 
The labors of agriculture have been dimished by the multiplicity of 
public works going on, which have employed a great number of labor¬ 
ers;—by the great extent of emigration, which transformed many 
thousands of producers into mere consumers,—and by the unprecedent¬ 
ed spirit of speculation. Men have not been contented with doing well 
enough, when they believed their neighbors were doing better. This 
disquietude has unsettled many in their staid plans and habits of busi¬ 
ness, and induced them to quit their farms and their comforts, to be¬ 
come adventurers in the lottery of speculation, in which there is gene¬ 
rally “ two blanks to a prize.” The circumstances combined, have ab¬ 
stracted considerably from the ordinary amount of agricultural labor. 
From the causes which we have enumerated, principally, the staple 
grain crops, most essential to human subsistence, as wheat, rye and In¬ 
dian corn, have been greatly deficient—we think their yield has not 
been half that of ordinary seasons, embracing in our view the whole 
union. Potatoes and buckwheat, too, which form large items in rural 
consumption, suffered severely from early frosts, in many districts, 
and both are scarce and dear. The consequence is, that every kind of 
farm produce is high, with the prospect of increase in price, unless re¬ 
lieved by seasonable supplies from Europe, where, fortunately, the 
harvest has been abundant. 
The barley crop has been as good as common, though seemingly a 
good deal diminished in the quantity sown. Oats have been a good 
crop, and hay generally better than it was in 1835. The ruta baga and 
mangold wurtzel are gaining favor; their culture has been greatly ex¬ 
tended during the last year, and the crops have been fair. Peas have 
made a good return. The garden has yielded indifferently, and me¬ 
lons, pumpkins and other vines have proved nearly a failure. Orchard 
fruits have been abundant in some districts, and scarce in others. 
Amidst all the difficulties in tillage husbandry, the cattle and sheep 
farmer—the wool grower and the dairyman—have enjoyed uninterrupt¬ 
ed prosperity’. Neither grub, nor worm, nor a bad season, nor specula¬ 
tion, have diminished the products or the profits of their herds and 
flocks. Meats, wool, and the products of the dairy, have commanded 
a ready market, and the first and the last mentioned have advanced 
considerable in price. And we are glad to learn that these branches 
of industry are on the increase. They require the least outlay, and 
make the surest, if not the greatest, return. 
The objects in reverting to the errors and misfortunes of the season, 
should be, to counteract the ultimate evils which they are calculated to 
produce, and to prevent their recurrence. We therefore add, byway 
of improvement, that— 
1. To avert threatened evils —let us economise in every department of 
our affairs. Let us give as little as possible to our domestic animals, 
of that which will assist to nourish and sustain our families; and to 
make up the deficiency to our cattle, let us use them well, and house 
them well. They will do with less with good attendance and kind 
treatment. Cut fodder will go further than uncut, and is withal better 
for the animal. Let us look to our grain and our roots,—take care 
that vermin do not devour the one, nor the frost destroy the other. 
The potato may be largely substituted, in the economy of the family, 
for bread-stuffs, without impairing our comforts, or scandalizing our 
names. Let our means be dispensed with judgment and prudence, un¬ 
der the eye of the master, or of a trusty assistant. Let our fruits be 
also husbanded with care. They afford a wholesome and grateful 
diet, in a variety of culinary preparations, and are not lost upon farm 
stock. By adopting these precautions, we may do much to prevent or 
alleviate want. We owe the example of prudence to society, in the 
present time of scarcity, if we do not stand in need of it ourselves. 
2. To prevent a recurrence of scarcity —we should expect bad seasons, 
and prepare for them. We should take counsel of our own, and of the ex¬ 
perience of those who are successful; investigate the causes of failures, 
and endeavor to prevent their recurrence, by making ourselves better 
acquainted with the philosophy, or science of agriculture, upon whose 
principles successful operations in husbandry can alone be based. We 
should drain and ridge our lands, where they require it—husband our 
manures,—alternate our crops,—extend our root culture,—and resolute¬ 
ly determine, that if we cannot excel, we will at least attain to medio¬ 
crity in our calling. We shall thus combine, with a prudent regard for 
our own interest, a wholesome influence upon the habits of society. 
Agriculture is an art —Man is the artist,—the soil his laboratory,— 
manure his raw material,—animal strength and machinery his power, 
—air, heat and moisture his agents,—and grains, roots, fruits and fo¬ 
rage, his product. 
Agriculture is a science —which teaches the artist the best mode of 
improving and fitting up his laboratory,—instructs him in the proper¬ 
ties and economical use of his raw material,—learns him how best to 
apply his power, and to profit by his agents,—and it thereby enables 
him greatly to abridge his labor and multiply his products. 
