76 
THE CULTIVATOR 
rich light soil, and may be planted either in hills or in 
drills. Pole beans are best in hills, four or five beans 
in a hill, and the pole placed in the centre with the aid 
of an iron bar. Beans are very tender and cannot be 
plrnted with safety early, as the crop in that case is 
very liable to be destroyed. The White Lima, Dutch 
case knife, and White Cranberry, are the most es¬ 
teemed pole beans ; and the White Cranberry Dwarf, 
White Kidney Drawf, Refugee or Thousand to one, and 
Early Six Weeks, among the best bush beans. 
Squashes should be planted in hills as directed for 
melons or cucumbers, and should find a place in every 
kitchen garden. The early Bush Squash, Vegetable 
Marrow, Cocoanut and Crooltneck are the kinds most 
generally cultivated. The Summer Squash may be 
planted some four feet apart, the running kinds from 
six to nine, as is required by the length of vine. As in 
the case of the melon and cucumber, several seeds 
should be put in each, of which all but three or four may 
be pulled up. 
The Strawberry should have a place in every garden, 
as the fruit is not more delicious than conducive to 
health. A soil of strong rich loam, rather moist than 
dry, is best for this berry, as the mass of foliage and 
flowers from each root requires a plentiful supply of 
water. May is a very good month for making straw¬ 
berry beds, and if the transplanting is well done, and 
the plants watered as required, many of the roots will 
produce fruit the same season, and give an abundant 
supply the next. The culture of the strawberry in rows 
gives the best fruit, and frequent renewal is advanta¬ 
geous. The principal care in growing the strawberry, 
is to clear the plants of the runners, for these, if suf¬ 
fered to remain, soon give such a mass of vegetation, 
that but little fruit, and that of an inferior quality, can 
only be expected. The Methven Scarlet, Pine or Mul- 
berry, Downton, and Keen’s Seedling, are choice va¬ 
rieties, but new kinds are almost yearly announced, 
some of which have proved of great excellence. 
May is a good month for transplanting cabbages from 
their seed beds to the place where they are to stand. A 
moist cloudy day is to be chosen for transplanting, but 
if the roots are good, and the soil in good condition, 
few failures will occur in any state of the weather. 
Cabbages are frequently planted too close to mature 
their heads ; and if set out too early, those intended 
for fall and winter use, will have a kind of second 
growth from the head, cracking it open and rendering 
it unfit for use. 
The Tomato has within a few years acquired much 
celebrity as a garden vegetable, and to most palates it 
is as delicious, as it certainly is conducive to health. 
The Tomato is a tender plant, and should be started in 
a forcing frame, but if planted as early as the season 
will admit in a warm border, or in rich warm soil in 
the garden, they will generally reach maturity. Those 
who have not hitherto cultivated this plant, will do 
well to introduce it into their gardens. 
Spinach is an excellent garden plant, particularly the 
NeAV-Zealand variety, and may be sown early. This 
plant is apt to degenerate, and instead of giving large 
perfect leaves, as it will when of good quality, only 
run up to seed, and be of little value. 
The Beet is generally cultivated and well deserves to 
be, but it should be sown at different times, and varie¬ 
ties of the late and early kinds should be carefully se¬ 
lected. If the beet intended for winter use is sown 
early, it frequently attains its maturity, undergoes a 
change that unfits it for eating; it is found to contain 
more potash than sugar, and throws up a seed stem 
that renders the root fibrous and worthless. The white 
Siberian or sugar beet is an excellent variety if not 
grown in too rich ground : but for general use, and on 
all soils perhaps the blood beet or scarcity should have 
the preference. 
The first sowings of beets, carrots, parsneps, &.c. are 
large enough this month to require thinning, and the 
earth should be stirred around them to aid their growth. 
Much is depending on the attention these plants, with 
onions, lettuces, and indeed garden vegetables general¬ 
ly, receive when young. The earth must not become 
crusty or hard, but kept friable, as on this its aeration 
depends. 
May is not unfrequently a trying month for young 
plants, on account of drouth, and if this occurs they 
must receive proper waterins, or they will be severely 
checked if not destroyed. The cucumber and melon 
are apt to suffer from this cause, as they have only one 
set of roots, while the squash, &c. throw down roots at 
little distances from their vines and derive more abun¬ 
dant supplies of moisture. 
Transmutation. 
The materials seem to be rapidly accumulating for a 
new chapter in the “ Progress of Error,” so far as re¬ 
gards the subject of transmutation. The belief is an 
old one that rye is at times transmuted into chess, and 
the same opinion has been at different times entertain¬ 
ed of wheat and oats ; and is still, so far as wheat is 
concerned, by many. Within the past year, several new 
discoveries have been made in transmutation, and se¬ 
veral plants have been added to the catalogue, as under¬ 
going such conversion. The Maine Cultivator, (a very 
good paper by the way,) has been the medium through 
which most of the iate discoveries have been made 
known ; for instance the case in which a distinguished 
physician of Maine states as a fact within his own know¬ 
ledge, in which a field of barley, partly eaten off by cat¬ 
tle, in all such daces turned to oats !—that in which 
Mr. Smiley, from the excrescences or buds on the stalk 
of the annual summer flower, the Gilliflower, grew a 
large quantity of first rate potatoes ; and those in which 
Dr. Parker of Billerica produced from the seeds of the 
water Arum or Calla palustris of botanists, the true ti¬ 
ger lilly, and from the seeds of the Peony, true yellow 
lillies. (See the Maine Cultivator of Dec. 5, 1840.) 
But the honor of heralding all the new transforma¬ 
tions cannot be claimed by Americans. We learn from 
the Q. J. of Agriculture, that some farmers in Forfar¬ 
shire in Scotland, have converted smut balls from wheat 
into chess ; and the following from the “ Comptes Reu- 
der” of August 1839, shows that the French have not 
been laggards in the matter. 
“ Some botanists have thought in consequence of the 
extreme resemblance of the fruit of the JEgilops to the 
grains of cultivated wheat, that the latter was only an 
JEgilops modified by cultivation. M. Auguste de St. 
Hiliare says, “ from a letter from M. Frederic de Gi¬ 
rard of Montpelier, that M. Esprit Fabre having found 
in the environs of Adge, some plants of the JEgilops 
triticoides, had sown the seeds of them in his garden, 
and had obtained a plant in which the characters of the 
JEgilops had almost disappeared to make way for those 
of a triticum , or wheat. It is not yet altogether a triti- 
cum, but it is no more an JEgilops. M. Fabre propo¬ 
ses to sow next year, some grains collected this year, 
(1839,) and to continue the observation he has begun.” 
In the transmutation of grain thus far, the progress 
has always been backward, or from good to that which 
is worse ; M. Fabre seems to us to be nearer the right 
track, and we hope if any more discoveries are to be 
announced in the transmutation of plants, they will be 
of the Fabre kind, or the change be from bad to good. 
Correspondence, Inquiries, &c. 
Plaster on Wheat. 
A “ Subscriber” in Gorham, Ontario Co. asks the 
following questions :—“ Does or does not plaster when 
sowed with clover seed upon wheat in the spring, have 
a tendency to make the crop (wheat) rust, thereby 
causing the destruction of the grain, according to the 
severity of the rust? If so, what plan is best to adopt, 
instead of plaster so as to give as rapid a growth to the 
clover ley, to render it fit for plastering after harvest?” 
We very much question Avhether plaster ever pro¬ 
duces on Avheat the effect supposed by our correspon¬ 
dent. In an experience of 20 years, we have never 
known an instance unquestionably traceable to this 
cause, of rust in wheat. Rust will sometimes attack 
plastered wheat, and so it Avill in such seasons that 
Avhich has not been plastered. A neighbor of ours 
Avhose crop annually is from 8 to 12 hundred bushels of 
wheat, has always plastered his wheat, and has never 
perceived any such injurious results. For keeping up 
the fertility of his Avheat lands, he relies on plaster and 
clover altogether, and an increasing productiveness af¬ 
ter a trial of 25 years, shoAvs he has not miscalculated 
the efficiency of this mode. 
If plaster operates in producing rust at all, it must 
be by giving too rapid a growth ; and there is reason to 
believe, that any fertilizing substance which Avould give 
the growth of clover that plaster does, Avould also still 
more injuriously affect the Avheat crop. The concen¬ 
trated animal manures, such as Poudrette, or Urate, if 
applied in large quantities directly to the wheat crop, 
is found to give too much straAV, and an inferior grain: 
of course Ave knoAv of no manure that Avould give the 
same groAvth to the clover, that Avould not be far more 
likely to injure the wheat than plaster. 
The subject mentioned by “ Subscriber,” is, hoAV- 
ever, a very important one, and Ave should be pleased 
to hear the opinions of some of our experienced cor¬ 
respondents, Avho have so extensively practiced soAving 
plaster and clover Avith their Avheat 
Corn Culture. 
Our correspondent “ L.” of Maryland, in controvert¬ 
ing the opinion of Judge Buel, that deep ploAving corn 
in the after culture of the plant Avas injurious, trans¬ 
mits Ihe folloAving quotation from Cobbett. “ But Avhy 
need this be said in an Indian corn country, when it is 
well known, that Avithout being plowed betAveen the 
roAVS, the corn Avill produce next to nothing. It may 
appear, that, to dig thus among groAving plants, is to 
cut or tear off their roots, of Avhich the ground is full. 
This is really the case, and this does great good, for 
the roots thus cut asunder, shoot again from the plant 
side, find new food, and send instantly fresh vigor to 
the plant. The effect of this tillage is surprising. We 
are hardly avrare of its poAver in producing vegetation ; 
and we are still less aAvare of the distance to which the 
roots of plants extend in every direction.” 
We were aAvare of this opinion of Cobbett’s, but have 
been inclined to attribute the good effect of tillage on 
corn, not to the tearing of the roots, or the mutilation 
of the plant, but to the aeration or exposure to the at¬ 
mosphere, Avhich frequent stirring of the soil produces, 
and which has the best effect on plants. One of the 
largest crops of corn ever raised in the United States, 
Avas grown last year by Mr. Williams of Bourbon, Co. 
Ky. and the culture was from the beginning intended to 
bear on this question, the surface only being moved in 
the shalloAvest manner, and no ploAV used to disturb the 
roots. The crop Avas 158 bushels to the acre. Let the 
ground on which corn is planted be light and friable. 
rich, and plowed in the first place so that the roots can 
penetrate without difficulty, and we think there is no 
benefit in tearing the roots by deep plowing. The cul¬ 
tivator will loosen the earth, and pulverize it better than 
the plow, and does not touch the roots. 
The error of not working corn in a drouth for fear of 
‘ firing’ it, is not as common at the north noAV as it for¬ 
merly Avas. The man Avho lets his weeds stand, to 
shade his crops and save them from drouth, and he Avho 
refuses to stir the surface at such time for the same rea¬ 
son, acts on principles equally and alike unsound and un- 
philosophical. — 
Tobacco—Imposts. 
We have received tAvo communications from “ Agri¬ 
cola,” and “ Subscriber,” on the paper inserted in our 
March number, respecting the Tobacco trade of this 
country. We are not disposed to differ with Subscriber 
as to the worthlessness of the weed in itself, and reli¬ 
giously eschew it in all its forms ; so we do not consider 
ourselves called upon to controvert his positions, and 
shall rejoice if the reform of Avhich he speaks shall be 
as complete as he seems to anticipate. 
“ Agricola” is strenuously anti-tariff, and for that 
reason we should like to give his paper a place in the 
Cultivator ; but our journal Avas not established for 
such discussions, and the file of communications before 
us on agricultural topics, forcibly reminds us that other 
subjects than political economy, require all our space. 
One word only to our friend. The treasury of the na¬ 
tion must be replenished by direct taxation, or by im¬ 
post duties. We prefer the latter ; as Ave are confident 
a majority of the people of this country do ; and we 
are anxious that the scale should be so graduated as to 
do equal and exact justice to all foreign nations as far 
as is possible. The articles this country cannot produce, 
but which are of prime necessity to the mass of the 
people, should feel duties the lightest; articles of luxu¬ 
ry, things required by the rich and the affluent, and 
not required or accessible to the many, should feel 
them the heaviest. 
Management of Bees. 
We have received from Mr. Quimby, of Coxsackie, 
an article on the management of Bees, from which Ave 
make the following extracts :—“ In the January num¬ 
ber of the present volume, an inquirer asks if there is 
any way of preventing more than one hive SAvarming at 
a time? My experience Avould lead me to answer there 
is. It is only the first sAvarm from a hh'e that should 
be kept separate. These seldom or never leave the 
hive Avithout first appearing outside the entrance in great 
numbers, apparently in a tumult, a few minutes previ¬ 
ous to SAvarming. The apiarian, if he is observant, 
will soon learn Avhen to expect a swarm. When one 
has started, and there are indications of another before 
the first is hived, they should be well sprinkled Avith 
Avater from a Avatering pot, or some other way. They 
Avill immediately re-enter the hive to avoid the suppos¬ 
ed shower. In about thirty minutes they will try it 
again, Avhich will give time to secure the first. If they 
should be disposed still to unite with the first, throw a 
sheet over the hive to keep them out.” 
Mr. Quimby adds the folloAA'ing query, which we hope 
some experienced apiarian will ansAver through our 
columns, as others have suffered loss from the same 
cause:—“ I have had several hives in which the young 
brood appeared fatally diseased. The breeding cells 
Avere nearly filled Avith the young bees in the grub state, 
stretched at full length in the cells, dead and putrified • 
the cells are sealed. In this unhealthy state, so few 
are hatched, that the numbers rapidly decrease, and are 
soon gone, unless transferred to another hive by driving 
them out, the only remedy I have yet found. In this 1 
have been successful Avhen done in season, in rearing a 
healthy SAvarm, yet the loss is considerable, as they do 
not SAvarm that year. Large and small hives are equal¬ 
ly affected. I Avish to learn the cause of this fatality, 
and the means of preventing it.” 
South Downs and Leicesters in Ohio. 
Mr. L. Barker, of Monroe, Knox County, Ohio, 
gives a favorable account of the progress of agriculture 
in that part of the State, and says “ he can shoAv as 
good Leicesters and South Downs as ever came from 
England ; and as fine Berkshires as any of the NeAv- 
Yorkers are able to do.” When farmers begin to pre¬ 
fer and keep the best animals, it is a sign they are be¬ 
ginning to understand and attend to their true interests, 
Feeding Milch Cows. 
In reply to an inquiry in the Cultivator as to the best 
and cheapest manner of feeding milch cows, Mr. J. A. 
Grimes, of Harrodsburgh, Kentucky, gives the follow¬ 
ing method as practiced by him. We would add, there 
are feAV substances more nourishing than corn fodder, 
and the large stalks, that are usually lost, if treated 
in the Avay recommended by Mr. G., make the best food 
for cattle or horses :—“ We procure in the fall, all the 
corn shucks Ave can, as the farmers put little A’alue upon 
them. When Ave commence feeding, Ave have a large 
kettle in which Ave can heat Avater, and a basket holding 
the quantity we intend for each animal. We then take 
the shucks to a common cutting box, and cut them as 
you Avould hay or oats, and scald them a few minutes in 
the kettle, then take them out and sprinkle three 
quarts of meal to the bushel of cut shucks, and you will 
have a better feed than three gallons of corn or meal, fix 
it as you will. When I xvas last in Mississippi, the 
