174 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
But then came the blight, which, together with the grain worm, very 
much lessened the product in this state. From the high price Of bread 
stuffs last year, however, larger quantities were sown than usual; and the 
product, in the west, has been an increase upon the last crop. In the 
valley of the Mohawk, and upper valley of the Hudson, the crop has been 
diminished by the grain worm. In the middle states the crop was less 
than, and in the western states over, a medium^one. In Maine, in conse¬ 
quence, it is said, of the premiums offered by the legislature to the culti¬ 
vators of this crop, the product has been greatly increased, though the 
grain worm has done considerable damage there. 
The spring varieties of wheat seem to be coming into repute; and those 
of recent introduction, as the Italian, Siberian, Black sea and tea, appear 
well adapted to our various soils, and promise amply to reward the labor 
of those who cultivate them. The demand for the first named has been 
uncommonly great, and if it continues, as the result of the trials with it 
seem to lead us to expect, it will soon constitute our principal crop. Ma¬ 
ny hundred bushels of the Italian variety were sent down the Hudson, 
last fall, as seed, destined to the middle, southern, and eastern states. 
Rye has been a fair crop, we believe in every section of our country. 
The’late sown is perhaps an exception to the remark. So far as our ob¬ 
servation went, this last was light in product, which vve, on conjectural 
grounds, ascribed in great part to'the depredations of the grain worm. 
Indian Com, has been better than it was in 1836, in the valliea of the 
Hudson and Mohawk; in the northern and western parts of this state it 
has been light; in the southern, middle and western sfktes, perhaps above 
a medium yield. Taking the country at large, there has been an increase 
of crop from last year. The early varieties are more sought after, better 
attention is being paid to preparing for and cultivating the crop, and har¬ 
vesting by cutting the stalks at the ground, at the usual time of topping, 
is found to possess advantages over the other modes of saving the crop. 
The southern practice of stripping the blades from the stock, "while the 
grain is in milk, is certainly a bad one. 
Oats have probably never been better in the north; the crop has been 
abundant, and grain heavy. The constant and increasing demand for this 
grain, and the high price which it bears, in consequence of the great num¬ 
ber of horses employed on the canals and elsewhere, are likely to increase 
and improve its culture. Now that a standard weight is fixed by law, it 
becomes the interest of (he farmer, if it was not before, to cultivate the 
heavier varieties, and to bestow upon them better culture than formerly. 
There is no grain more free from disease ahd insect enemies than oats. 
The practice of making oat meal, for family use, and for market, has ob¬ 
tained to a considerable extent, particularly in Delaware and Saratoga 
counties. 
Barley has been more than a medium crop, and its culture is on the 
increase in northern NeW-York. Barley flour has been considerably used, 
both for bread, and as a substitute for buckwheat in griddle cakes. It is 
wholesome and nutritious, and for cakes is preferred by many to buck¬ 
wheat. 
Buclcwheat was sown in unusual quantities, and where it was not in¬ 
jured by frost, it has afforded a great yield. 
Potatoes, although they promised a great crop, from the growth of 
vines, gave nevertheless but an ordinary yield. The quality is good; 
though we cannot refrain from again pressing our recommendation to far¬ 
mers to cultivate only the best and most farinaceous kinds. Such are the 
most grateful and healthy in the family, bring the best price in market, and 
are withal the most nutritious for farm stock. 
Root crops, that is, the culture of the ruta baga,. mangold wurzel and 
carrot, have been greatly increased the past year; and we hesitate not to 
say, the progress in this branch of our husbandry will be steady and rapid. 
The season has been propitious, and the product abundant. Some of our 
neighbors, novices in the culture, have been surprised and gratified with 
a yield of a thousand bushels the acre. We repeat that these roots, we 
speak from personal experience of the ruta baga, are an excellent winter 
food, either in whole or in part, for neat cattle, horses, sheep and pigs, 
and they may be made greatly to lessen the expenditure of grain, in the 
economy of the farm. For the tabl^ the Swede is decidedly superior to 
the common turnip, after the setting in of winter. The latter then dete¬ 
riorates—the former improves with keeping. 
Peas "have given a tolerable fair yield. Our own practice does nofcena- 
ble us to speak of the relative profits of this crop; but we understand it 
makes a very good return, particularly in elevated districts exempt from 
the pea bug. 
Hay has varied in its products—in some districts not giving so good a 
return, and in others a better, than in 1836. On the whole, the crop may 
be put down as less than a fair average one. We again recommend the 
breaking up of old meadows, where the product has become small, and of 
subjecting them a few seasons to the plough. Those wjho cannot, or will 
not, do this, may improve their meadows by sowing.grass seeds, giving 
them a light top dressing of dung or ashes, and of then scarifying with 
Concklin’s Press Harrow, or a like implement. By the bye, Mr. Conck- 
lin has improved his press harrow, and reduced the price, from one hun¬ 
dred to sixty dollars. 
On the whole, taking into view all. the products of the soil, the yield 
may be deemed full an ordinary one; for although there is a manifest de’ 
.ficiency in some kinds, an unusual quantity of ground was put in crop, 
and the harvest in other kinds has beenbquntiful. Our system of farming 
is evidently mending—improved farm implements have been multiplied, 
and their use greatly extended—more attention has been bestowed on 
select animals for breeding—better seeds are selected—root and clover 
culture has been extended—useful information is coming more into de¬ 
mand—and a new zeal is manifested both for the pursuits and improve¬ 
ments of husbandry. 
To prepare .the haws or seeds of Thorns, that they may grow the first 
year. —Separate the pulp from the seed, in winter, and keep the latter 
moist, either exposed to the alternations of freezing and thawing, or not, 
till the ground can be prepared for their reception in the spring. They 
Will soon germinafe and grow. For confirmation of the efficiency of this 
mode of management, see the authorities of Thomas Main, Caleb Kirk 
and‘John A. Chiswell, which will be found under the heads of “Live 
Fences,” and “ Correspondence.” 
On the means of improving our Agriculture. —We bespeak an atten¬ 
tive perusal for the article under this title, published under the head of 
“ Extracts.’’ from the pen of Sir John Sinclair. We shall, in our next, 
give another extract from the same authority, On promoting the collec¬ 
tion and diffusion of useful knowledge. These articles are peculiarly 
adapted to the present season, when the legislatures of most of the states 
are in session. The facts and suggestions which they contain, are of 
deep interest to our country;—they demand the notice of the farmer, the 
merchant, the manufacturer, and the mechanic; and are specially 
addressed, to our statesmen and legislators, who are charged with 
the great interests of the commonwealth. No man, perhaps, has done 
more to advance the-agricultural improvement, and consequent pros¬ 
perity of his country, than the writer of these' articles. He was in¬ 
strumental in establishing the British Board of Agriculture, was one of its 
most useful members, and was particularly serviceable in collating, ar¬ 
ranging and publishing the multifarious information and facts which it col¬ 
lected, in his “ Code of Agriculture,” one of the most useful works upon 
husbandry extant. He was the correspondent of Washington. 
To avoid the Bee-moth. —-Keep your hives of bees on the ground during 
the summer months. See the article on this subject, signed C. D. under 
“Extracts.” 
Root Culture. —R. Harrison, Jr. writes us from Wheatland, Monroe,— 
“ My root crop has come in well this season. I have about 2,000 bushels 
of rutabaga, sugar beet and mangold wurtzel. Some of the ruta baga 
weigh 17 lbs.—sugar beets 15 lbs. I am so well pleased with my root 
crop, that I intend to enlarge it next year.” These roots are probably 
the product of about three acres of land. Feeding at the rate of two 
bushels a day—120 lbs—to a bullock, they will suffice to feed ten cattle 
one hundred days , comprising the main part of the winter months—and 
to fatten them. The same ground in hay, estimating the product at a 
ton and a half per acre, and the daily ration of each beast at 28 lbs. would 
barely keep ten cattle, without fattening them, a period of thirty two 
days, or one-third the time that the roots would feed and fatten them.— 
The manure, with the root feed, would be worth thrice what it would be 
if the cattle were fed upon hay alone. Can it be wondered, that the 
English farmer go highly extols the root culture? 
PEAT EARTH, AND PEAT ASHES, 
IMPORTANT SOURCES OF FERTILITY TO THE FARM. 
We assume it as a well, established truth, that every vegetable sub¬ 
stance is capable of becoming food for farm crops, whenever it is render¬ 
ed soluble, that is, when it becomes dissolved and blended with the li¬ 
quids of the soil. Putrefaction, in a great measure, renders vegetable 
matters soluble, and consequently fits them for the food of plants. Com¬ 
bustion produces in a measure like effects, though in most cases with a 
considerable loss in fertilizing matters. Peat earth, or swamp muck, 
though differing essentially "in quality, is considered as an inert mass of 
half-corrupted vegetable matter, requiring to be brought in contact with 
fermenting matters, or with fire, to render them soluble. Fire, to be 
sure, would seem to destroy the vegetable matter, and consequently the 
power of peat earth to impart fertility; but it will be seen from the ana¬ 
lysis of peat ashes in our last, that in them it rather concentrates the ele¬ 
ments of fertility—in the form of salts, which are readily dissolved by the 
humidity of the earth,'and become highly enriching to the soil. Com¬ 
bustion renders the mass lighter, and of course more portable. Peat 
earlh differs greatly from green vegetables, and from yard dung—not so 
much in its elementary matters, as in its tendency to putrefaction. The 
first putrify spontaneously, in a summer temperature, under the influ¬ 
ence of air and moisture; the latter do not putrify spontaneously under 
the like agents. And hence the importance of directing the farmers at¬ 
tention to this subject. 
When applied directly to soils, peat earth and moory soil are so ex¬ 
tremely slow in decomposing, that they do not impart but little fertility. 
