THE CULTIVATOR. 
149 
tried the peas a third time, and his crop was 18 hhds. 
Finding the improvement was so wonderful, he resolved 
on a fourth trial, and the 6 acres yielded 24 hhds., which 
is considered a first rate crop, equal to 100 bush, of corn 
in this country. Unfortunately he was then removed to 
another estate, and his successor thinking a larger quan¬ 
tity to the acre could not be obtained, did not continue 
the expei - iment. 
Residing on new land, I have not had to trouble myself 
much about enriching my own, but which would be the 
best plant for these latitudes has frequently occupied my 
attention; and if I had poor light land, immediately af¬ 
ter harvest I would plow the stubble under, and broad¬ 
cast a crop of burs, (the kind that is at this moment about 
2±to 3 feet high, and bears a dark red flower;) perhaps 
drilled at 18 inches would be better, so that the cultivator 
might be run through them once or twice, to clean the 
ground, as well as increase the growth of the burr; when 
the plant is in flower, from the 15th to the 20th of June, 
plow them under, and sow buckwheat to be again plowed 
under for fall wheat. The two would give an immense 
quantity of vegetable matter to the soil. Perhaps the 
idea will occur to many of your readers, that some of 
their neighbors would have but little difficulty in pi - ocur- 
ing abundance of seed with little trouble, as scraping 
down their cow’s head and necks, for a morning - or two, 
would easily fill a bushel. I do not know but the mullein 
would be better still, as the stalk is very hard, and the 
leaves thick and tough; perhaps a thickly planted crop, 
allowed to stand until the flowers began to fall, then cut 
down, and when dry enough for fire to run, burnt, and 
the ashes plowed in lightly, would be better still, as the 
ashes would manure the land, and the fire destroy all 
weeds. This plan, according to Mr. Lyttleton Physick, 
would be attending to nature’s first law, “keeping the 
earth covei’ed with vegetable production, which is ne- 
cessai-y for the continuance of vegetable growth.” I agree 
with nearly evei - y thing that gentleman has said, (and 
hope he will continue his “ suggestions,”) particularly 
in not working hoed crops too late. I have long enter¬ 
tained the idea that potatoes, beans, peas, and coi'n, should 
be weeded the moment the weeds show themselves, which 
is usually 2 to 3 weeks after the haiTOW; about the same 
period, the second appearance of those pests is the signal 
for a repetition of the use of the hoe or cultivator; after 
that, the latei - al i - oots are throwing out, and weeds will 
be too much sheltered to do any serious damage. Weeds 
attacked in that eax-ly stage, are easily destroyed; every 
farmer who has handled a hoe, knows the difference be¬ 
tween scraping up weeds or cutting them up; four acres 
may be scraped while one is being cut; a lesson that 
carelessness for two yeai’s in succession, thoroughly 
taught me. “Nip sin in the bud,” and “ destroy weeds 
when young,” are two proverbs which should go toge¬ 
ther; the neglect of either produce vexy similar results. 
I differ from Mr. P. in thinking our fence cornel's being 
“ sheltered from the sun,” is the reason that those places 
become rich, while the cultivated field deterioi - ates. If 
so, a summer fallow ought to impoverish, whereas the 
contrary is known to be the result. A practice formerly 
existed in some parts of Britain,called “ fogging,” which 
was to allow a poor meadow to remain untouched a 
whole year; the following summer the crop of grass 
greatly increased; this treatment was precisely the same 
that fence corners in gx - ain fields receive; all the grass 
remained and rotted down through the winter, for cattle 
will rarely eat the old gx-ass in fence corners, when al¬ 
lowed to range over the stubbles after harvest, and con¬ 
sequently the decayed vegetable mattei - , the growth of 
the previous summer, becomes the nutriment (whatever 
Liebig and others may think,) “ necessary for the con¬ 
tinuance of vegetable growth.” Allowing roots to run 
the right depth, is according to Mr. P., a most impor¬ 
tant though overlooked matter. I have an experiment 
in pi-ogress this year, having that point particularly in 
view, the result of which, if such as I anticipate, I will 
communicate for the benefit of your readers. 
I am, gentlemen, your well wishei - , 
Goderich, V. C. June 25, 1842. Quercus. 
NEW DEPREDATOR. 
Messrs. Editors —In examining my cox - n field a few 
days since, just as the tassels or tops began to show them¬ 
selves, I observed that one vigoi - ous shoot had the upper 
leaves perforated with a multitude of holes; and examin¬ 
ing farther, I saw that the leaves forming the sheath of 
the top, were bored in the same manner. Taking out my 
knife, I cut off the stem, and commenced carefully strip¬ 
ping off the leaves to discover the insect. I soon found 
him, snugly esconsced in his leafy envelope, and busy in 
devouring the base of the partially unfolded top. He 
was a worm, rather more than an inch in length, not as 
thick as the common cut worm, quite active when first 
taken from his cell, and of a palish straw color. The 
head or snout was more like that of the silk worm, than 
that of the common caterpillai - , and from the progress 
he had made, it is evident the stalk of com would have 
been desti-oyed. I have called this corn worm a new 
enemy, because I have never seen one like it before. I 
have occasionally noticed one in green ears of coi - n, but 
I think they were different from this. Perhaps it is what 
I have heard called the “spindle worm” in the eastern 
states; or it may be the same of which so much com¬ 
plaint has been made in the western states, as feeding on 
the green ears. If any of your readers have noticed such 
a worm, or if it belongs to the kinds I have named, they 
will by noticing it in the Cultivatoi - , oblige a 
Young Farmer. 
DURE OF WEIiIiINGTOtf.-(Fig. 87.) 
Imported and owned by George 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Herewith I send you 
a portrait of the “Duke of Wellington,” an improved 
Short Hoi - n Durham Bull, which I imported from Eng¬ 
land in the summer of 1840. He is from the celebra¬ 
ted herd of Thomas Bates, Esq. of Kirkleavington, by 
whom he was bred. His dam, Oxford, was in calf with 
him, at the time she was exhibited at the Oxford meet¬ 
ing of the Royal Ag. Society, in 1839, when she took the 
first premium of 30 sovereigns, for the best Short Horn 
Cow. (For his pedigree, see Cult. vol. VII, page 141.) 
The porti’ait will convey a sufficiently accurate idea of 
his form, though it is impossible to do justice to any ani¬ 
mal of his breadth, by a mere side view. His coat and 
handling qualities sustain the high reputation of Mr. 
Bates’ herd in this respect. He will be three years old 
on the 24th of October next. 
Permit me to add that my heifer Dutchess, imported 
at the same time, also from Mr. Bates’ herd, and sired 
Vail, Esq. of Troy, New-York. 
by his celebrated bull Duke of Northumberland, which 
took the highest premium for the best Short Hoirn Bull, at 
the same meeting of the Royal Ag. Society, has brought 
two bull calves, by Wellington, one dropt July 25, 1841, 
and the other July 30, 1842. These two calves will be 
exhibited at the State Fair, when one of them will be 
offered for sale. I shall also exhibit a yearling heifer, 
and several spring calves, by Wellington, some of which 
will be for sale. 
We were obliged to milk the heifer Dutchess, the year 
i - ound, till she brought her last calf, though the latter 
part of the time she was milked at intervals of a few 
days, to prevent injury to her udder; and I cannot doubt 
from my own observation, but that Mr. Bates’ stock 
richly deserves the reputation it has gained for its superi¬ 
or milking properties. Respectfully yours, 
George Vail. 
Troy, Aug. 20, 1842. 
CULTURE OF WHEAT. 
Messrs. Editors —With your leave, I wish to give 
you for insertion in the Cultivatoi - , some opinions, expe¬ 
riments, and results, of mine in the culture of wheat. In 
doing this, I shall take up the subject under the several 
divisions of 
1. Time of Sowing and Preparation of Seed.— 
Experience has convinced me, that in our latitude the 
best time to sow wheat, is from the first to the middle of 
September. I have sown in August; but have found that 
the hot dry weather usually prevailing in that month, is 
unfavorable to a vigorous and healthy germination of the 
seed, while a later sowing secures a better growth, and 
at the same time gives the plant a sufficient root to with¬ 
stand our winters, one of the most serious difficulties with 
which fanners have to contend. Too late sowing does 
not do this, and such wheat, except in the most favored 
soils and localities, will rarely escape badly freezing out. 
I have tried various methods of preparing wheat for sow¬ 
ing, but the most satisfactory and least expensive results, 
have been obtained from soaking in strong brine, and 
drying in quick lime. The lime should be good or caus¬ 
tic, or the desired effect will not be produced. I have 
used lime which had been slaked for so long a time as 
to be quite mild, and it proved no better in preventing 
smut, than would as much common mold. I have used 
plaster for di - ying brined wheat, but judging from the 
results, the effect, so far as smut was concerned, was de¬ 
cidedly injurious. A part of the same field limed, was 
wholly exempt from smut; the seed sown without any 
preparation was slightly smutted; that dried in plaster, 
was almost desti - oyed by the smut. 
2. Preparation of the Soil, and Manner of 
Sowing. —A thorough summer fallowing is the best pre- 
pai - ation of the soil that can be given for a wheat crop; 
one that leaves no weed to interfere with the future ci-op, 
and at the same time subjects every part of the soil to the 
benefits of atmospheric action. I do not approve of the 
direct application of manures to the wheat crop. Two 
evils result from this course; one is, that the stalk of the 
plant is stimulated at the expense of the bei - ry, being apt 
to lodge and shrink; and the other is, that barn yard ma¬ 
nure is apt to contain so many foul seeds, as to render it 
certain that when applied to the wheat crop, a vigorous 
and injurious growth of these interlopei - s may be expect¬ 
ed. When soils are rich and clean, summer fallowing 
may be dispensed with in most cases, one or two plow- 
ings being sufficient for the getting in the seed well; but 
it must be remembei - ed there are vexy few farms that 
have been so manured, plowed, and thoroughly cultiva¬ 
ted, as to render this course admissible. 
As to the manner of sowing wixeaf, I prefer that which 
approaches the nearest to drilling; finding that method 
preferable for several reasons. I find that wheat sown in 
that way is less liable to freeze out, (and that is the most 
serious difficulty I have to meet,) than when distributed 
equally over the ground. It is almost uniformly the sin¬ 
gle plants that freeze out; those that grow in clusters es¬ 
caping, and drill sowing, or any manner that resembles 
it, places the seed in a way that unites the strength of the 
plants. Consequently, I prefer fuiTOwing my fields at 
such distances as I wish the wheat to grow, (fx - om seven 
to ten inches,) and sowing- my seed on the land so fur¬ 
rowed. Every farmer knows that in this case, the great¬ 
er part of the seed will fall or i - oll to the deepest pai*t of 
the furrow, and be thus deposited with nearly as great 
regularity as if the drill was used. In covering the seed, 
I first harrow the same way as the furrow, and then 
cx - osswise, which disturbs the position of the seed but 
little, and gives it about the requisite depth. If the fur¬ 
row made by the plow, on which the seed is sown, is six 
or seven inches in depth, the covering of the seed will 
not be far from two and a half or three inches, which I 
think is the proper depth for the perfect germination of 
the seed and the security of the plant. I have tried ma¬ 
ny experiments in the sowing of wheat; such as sowing, 
harrowing smooth, and then furrowing as for potatoes; 
sowing, and plowing into ridges; sowing and plowing 
in the seed, without harrowing; sowing and harrowing 
alone; and the way I have above described, which has 
been more successful with me than any other. When 
wheat is sown in drills, or so as to produce the same ef¬ 
fect in the distribution of the plants, there is more room 
for the air to circulate, and for the influence of the sun, 
and I have found that such wheat is less liable to mildew 
than when sown in the usual manner. This result I have 
witnessed the present year; that sown in the ordinary 
way being more rusted than that which was in drills. I 
saw not long since in the Cultivatoi - , vol. IX, page 105, 
an account of an experiment made in England, to pre¬ 
vent the freezing out of wheat, which was eminently suc¬ 
cessful. In this case the wheat was put in with a plow 
drill, the seed dropped in the furrow, and covered by the 
next passage of the plow, and not harrowed at all. That 
such a method would succeed, I cannot doubt, it being- 
only a more perfect execution of the system I have fol¬ 
lowed or preferred. 
With regard to the depth at which wheat should be 
planted or rather covered, I will mention an experiment 
I once instituted to aid me in determining that point. In 
a bed of rich garden mold, I sowed, or i - ather dibbled 
five rows of wheat, the respective depths of which were 
; one, two, three, four, and six inches. The season was 
| most favorable for germination, moist and warm, and the 
seed was carefully selected from a quantity of fine white 
flint, of the previous year’s growth. That put to the 
depth of one inch, came up on the sixth day; and the 
rows of two and three inches, about two days later. The 
row at four inches was still more tardy, and at the end of 
sixteen days, only one of the seeds planted at six inches, 
showed itself above ground. The others never came up 
at all. 
The rows planted at two and three inches, gave the 
