198 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
the articles of commerce which foreign trade now sup¬ 
plies; dependent in trade we must be dependent in poli¬ 
cy. While we have the elements of independence, 
honor, pride and policy, all should impel us to the at¬ 
tainment of so desirable an object. 
Yours respectfully, 
G. E. H. 
Brownsville, Fayette Co. Pa. Aug. 19, 1842. 
RENOVATION OF SOILS. 
“ Thebe is in the constituent particles of soils a con¬ 
stant tendency to more minute division. By continual 
tillage, and the concurrent action of salts, manures, and 
frost, this division may become so extreme, that at length 
a soil may be reduced to a tine powder or dust; in which 
state it will be destitute of substance, and cease to be pro¬ 
ductive; the rain falling upon it will convert it into mere 
mire or mud ; and this being hardened by the heat of the 
sun, the air will be excluded, and the roots of plants will 
be wholly unable to fulfil their functions.” 
“ AH these soils,”(for instance, where 45 parts of 100 
is clay,) “are unproductive, and become adhesive and 
clammy when wet; the water which stands upon them is 
uniformly turbid and whitish, and particularly so when it 
is agitated by wind; the effect of heat is to contract and 
crack their surface, to make it hard, and render it impe¬ 
netrable to the plow; nor can they be made to any con¬ 
siderable extent productive, but by the liberal application 
of coarse undecomposed manures, and especially by plowing 
in crops of buckwheat when in flower. 3 ’ 
It is not my purpose to discuss the question of renovat¬ 
ing soils, for it has often been ably treated in the columns 
of the Cultivator; but to state the result of an experiment 
in wheat culture, on a soil approximating the above de¬ 
scription, quoted from that sterling work of Chaptal, on 
Agricultural Chemistry. The soil was rather a stiffclay, 
and having been some thirty-five years in arable condi¬ 
tion, and for much of the former part of this time very 
productive of wheat, it had been, for want of a know¬ 
ledge of the benefits of the “ rotation system,” sadly 
abused. In 1838, it was summer fallowed, having laid 
the four years previous to sheep pasture, but the crop of 
wheat which followed, was very ordinary, not yielding 
ten bushels to the acre; which in part arose from the ad¬ 
hesive and clammy nature of the soil, causing the frost to 
heave a very considerable proportion of the plants on the 
surface to perish. This is well known to be a very com¬ 
mon occurrence, in our climate, with heavy clay lands, if 
sowed late; but this was not the fact in the last particu¬ 
lar, and the growth in the fall was beyond an average. 
After the crop was harvested, I observed on all parts of 
the field, numerous cracks on the surface, to a much 
greater extent than is usual with similar soils. I con¬ 
templated giving the field a heavy manuring the follow¬ 
ing season, and plant with corn; but subsequently chang¬ 
ed my plan, having resolved to adopt the course recom¬ 
mended as above, by Chaptal. I consequently applied a- 
bout twenty-five large cart loads of coarse, unfermented 
manure,drawn from my sheep barns,to the acre,which was 
spread no faster than the plows would cover. The plants 
in the fall, assumed so dark a green, that I was a little 
apprehensive of the usual rank growth before harvest, 
which almost invariably follows the direct application 
of manure to the wheat crop, as well as large dispropor¬ 
tion of straw to the berry. But doubtless owing to the 
great poverty of the soil, these results did not follow. 
The field averaged over twenty bushels to the acre,which 
is about the average production of well tilled fallow land, 
sown timely, and in favorable seasons, in this immediate 
quarter. The coarse manure had evidently effected a 
material modification of the soil, as few'cracks were dis¬ 
tinguishable on the surface, after harvest, showing most 
clearly, that it was more friable. It is a year ago last 
spring, since the grass seed was sown upon it, and a more 
luxuriant covering of clover, I have rarely seen, than the 
field now presents; which is another proof of some re¬ 
novation of the soil, otherwise, very much of the clover 
would have been thrown out by the frost of last spring. 
It is my present impression, that if this field is permitted 
to rest for two or three years longer, and then sowed 
with buckwheat and plowed under when in blow r , prepa¬ 
ratory to wheat, in consideration of what has already been 
done, its original fertility will be nearly restored, and in 
some measure the adhesive and clammy texture of the 
soil destroyed. 
But while on this subject, I beg leave to enter a pro¬ 
test against applying manure—except compost—directly 
to the wheat crop; unless as in the above case, when the 
soil is rendered quite unproductive, by long and “ skin¬ 
ning” management, before agricultural periodicals taught 
us better. You will permit me to quote your remarks, 
gentlemen, on this point—for I am quite sure they cannot 
be kept too much “before the people”—from the 7th 
vol. of the Cultivator, taken from a sterling article on 
“ Wheat Culture.” “ One of the greatest evils of direct 
manuring for the wheat crop, arises from the liability of 
the grain so manured, to lodge. The rapid growth of 
the stem, renders it unable to support its own weight, it 
is soft and flexible, contains much less silex than those 
grown in a poorer soil; the wheat does not usually per¬ 
fect its berry, and at all times, from the thinness of the 
skin or cuticle, it is more liable to mildew and rust. 
These things render it certainly unadvisable, unless the 
land is very poor and reduced, to apply unfermented ma¬ 
nure to wheat.” My own experience, as well as thou¬ 
sands of others, in times past, will attest the truth of these 
remarks. As nearly as possible, my practice conforms to 
the “rotation system;” and apply my manure in an un¬ 
fermented state, to my corn and potatoe crops, and top 
dressing of meadows. On the last point, I shall have 
something to say in a future number. 
L. A. Morrell. 
P. S. My compliments to “ Commentator ,” and can as¬ 
sure him, that when “ I justify a boy for striking his dad¬ 
dy ,” when he catches him feeding to his sheep, oats in 
the sheaf, I mean to be understood only in a “ Pickwicki¬ 
an point of view;” nothing beyond that, most certainly. 
Lansing, Tompkins Co. Nov. 1842. 
WORMS. 
Messrs. Editors —There has been a general com¬ 
plaint this year in a large section of country, that many 
kinds of field and garden crops have been either wholly 
destroyed, or materially damaged, by worms. It may 
be well to again remind your readers of the advantage 
of fall plowing. I am practically convinced that if the 
land be turned over late in the fall or in a winter's thaw, 
it will destroy a large portion of these depredators that 
burrow in the earth. Worms, like many other insects 
and animals, prepare for winter quarters; and if their 
domicils are routed just before the ground freezes, it 
gives them no chance to again secure themselves, and 
are therefore destroyed. 
There are three kinds of worms which appear to an¬ 
noy us more than all the rest. One of these is the wire 
worm, which is very injurious to Indian corn, oats and 
potatoes; when full grown it is nearly one inch in 
length, of a yellow color, hard and shining. “ It is said 
to remain in the ground four or five years; then changes 
to a long slim bug, commonly denominated the snapping 
bug; after depositing its eggs in the earth, perishes 
within a short time.” 
Another of these lawless insects is the white grub; they 
are the large worm with red heads that prevail in our 
meadows, frequently eating off the roots of grasses so 
completely as to easily turn over large tracts of turf of 
almost any size. Both these and the wire w T orm confine 
their ravages beneath the surface, never showing them¬ 
selves above the earth until the last transformation is 
undergone, and the perfect insect produced. “These 
grubs are said to remain in the ground four years;” 
when transformed to a perfect insect, it appears in the 
habiliments and shape of a large brown bug, which rises 
in the month of May and June in countless numbers at 
twilight from its hiding places in the earth. Many 
fields of potatoes were nearly devoured by them this 
season. 
The cabbage or cut worm is an insect when full grown 
from one to one and a half inches in length—not so large 
as the grub worm, of a brown or grey color, when they 
penetrate the soil so deep as not to be effected by the 
sun’s rays; but if they lodge through the day very near 
the earth’s surface, a warm sun will tan them a black 
color. This worm does his mischief nights and cloudy 
days; it preys upon the leaves and stalks of the cabbage, 
sugar-beet, corn and other tender plants. They burrow 
in the most convenient spot, near the roots of the vege¬ 
tables where their food abounds, and may be readily found 
by disturbing the soil near where they last feasted. 
In most soils where worms are found clay more or less 
prevails; if designed for early tillage in the spring, it 
forwards the work to plow the land in the fall, when the 
team is better able to do the work, and the weather not 
so relaxing. No matter if the soil be wet and stiff when 
turned over. The exposure to the mellowing influences 
of winter will wholly deprive the soil of that stiff cohe¬ 
sion; a general decomposition of soil and sod takes 
place in time to benefit any early spring crop. In spring 
season it may be again planted as late as May or June. 
Frost is one of the most powerful pulverizers that can 
be made to operate on a clay soil, which is poorly fitted 
for a crop when disturbed in the spring, unless it is in¬ 
verted in a suitable condition; that is, when neither too 
wet nor dry. 
Beneficent Providence has given us bountiful crops; 
and although they bear small prices, I presume all those 
who have been attentive readers of the Cultivator have 
been remunerated the full cost, and will be ready to send 
you another dollar in season, that you may be encouraged 
to publish your valuable paper another year. Those who 
carefully lay up each number have enough in two years 
to form a handsome and valuable book if bound. 
Yours, S. W. Jewett. 
cent; these I put into the holes about my house and 
barn most frequented by them, and they immediately 
quit my whole premises, and I saw no signs of a single 
one for about a year. The stench from a particular 
place indicated that one at least had been poisoned. 
That, however, was soon gone. On the return of a few 
about a year afterwards, I repeated the experiment with 
arsenic just as before, with the like success. In this 
way, repeating the experiment once or twice a year, I 
have got rid of these troublesome vermin for five years; 
and I have enough left of my first purchase of arsenic to 
last two or three years more. It is seldom, I believe, 
that they eat it so as to be killed; but they regard it as 
their mortal enemy, suspect imminent danger when it is 
near, and immediately with one accord quit their land¬ 
lord for his good. It is not improbable, however, that 
they will pay their respects to some neighbor, who is 
always fretting and complaining about them, and yet 
never doing anything effectual to destroy them; and 
there are a plenty of such. But let that neighbor do as 
I have done, and I will warrant him success. 
In thus clearing your premises of rats and mice, you 
need not poison your wife or children, cats or dogs, or 
anything else. Just put the pieces of bread into the 
holes where they come out, and you need apprehend no 
danger. H. A. P. 
IMPURE WELL WATER. 
The water of our well has recently become exceed¬ 
ingly nauseous, so that it is hardly fit for use. The well 
has been thoroughly cleansed, and the mouth well secured, 
so that impurities cannot find their way into it. The 
water has been pumped out time and time again; still 
all our labor is vain. The water contains a large quan¬ 
tity of sulphate of lime, and is, consequently, very hard. 
By what process may it be rendered pleasant? and to 
what cause may its impurities be ascribed? 
Information on this subject would be gratefully re¬ 
ceived by your constant reader and friend, 
Lansing, Tompkins co., N. F. S. E. Todd. 
The disagreeable taste and smell of the water com¬ 
plained of by our correspondent is doubtless owing to 
some improper matter in his well, which merely pump¬ 
ing out the water does not remove. Two years since, 
the well of a friend of ours, which had alway's before 
given excellent water, became nauseous and unfit for 
use. Pumping it out was of no avail. It was suggested, 
that as the soil in the vicinity was full of the earth 
worm, enough might have found their way into the well 
to affect by their decomposition the quality of the water. 
The well was emptied, and nearly half a bushel of these 
worms were found at the bottom; some sound, but many 
dead and decaying. The cleansing given was effectual. 
We have known several similar instances from the same 
cause, although it may not be the difficulty with the well 
of our correspondent. The hardness of the water could 
not injuriously affect it; as throughout the whole lake 
country, the water is of this kind. Since writing the 
preceding, a friend informs us that he has known seve¬ 
ral instances in which the nauseous taste of water in 
wells has been at once corrected, by throwing a few 
quarts of salt, say six or eight, into the well.— Eds. 
SHEEP HUSBANDRY— Inquiry. 
Messrs. Editors —Having noticed several commu¬ 
nications of late in your valuable paper, in reference 
to Paular Merino sheep, and particularly one from 
Mr. Avery, of Galway, in which he gives an account 
of several heavy fleeces, also of the average of his 
flock, I feel anxious to have Mr. A. inform the public 
in reference to his mode of treating his sheep in general, 
and their feed in particular. Also in reference to the 
comparative profits of the Paular, and the other varieties 
of fine wooled sheep which he has formerly kept. What 
is the effect of crossing them with other varieties; say 
the Saxony, Merinos, and the coarse long wooled sheep? 
I presume the author of the communication is the 
Rev. R. A. Avery, who formerly preached in this Co. 
I should place implicit confidence in any statement which 
he might make, and am confident that a full answer 
to the above from him would be regarded as valuable in¬ 
formation by more than one. Inquirer. 
Washington Co. N. Y. Oct. 31, 1842. 
RATS AND MICE. 
MILCH COWS. 
Messrs. Editors —As rats and mice are often a great 
annoyance to farmers as well as others, I will state my 
method of getting rid of them. Having tried dogs, and 
cats, and traps, and fishhooks to little purpose, I procur¬ 
ed the plant Hound-s Tongue, by some called Tory Weed, 
the Cynoglossum officinale of Linnseus, which, it was said, 
if gathered when full of sap, and bruised and laid in 
places infested with rats and mice, would cause them 
immediately to quit the premises. This is a biennial 
plant; and puts out a purple blossom in July, and may 
be found on almost every farm. I bruised both the root 
and stalk, and found that these vermin would quit the 
immediate vicinity of the plant, but not the whole build¬ 
ing. Whether they ate any of it, or whether if they had 
eaten they would have been poisoned, I was unable to 
determine. I gathered a quantity of the plant and left it 
in various places about my house, barn and outhouses, 
and it had a sensible effect, but was not a universal ex¬ 
terminator. 
I then purchased 12| cents' worth of arsenic, spread a 
little butter on some bread cut very thin, sprinkled it 
over with arsenic, and cut it in pieces of the size of a 
Editors of the Cultivator— The fair of the State 
Agricultural Society, held at Albany, in September, was 
a very brilliant exhibit of improved animals, vegeta¬ 
bles, fruits, &c. &e. as stated in the Albany papers. My 
son was on a visit with his family, in Connecticut, which 
prevented either of us from attending the fair. I la¬ 
mented much, that he could not attend it, as he has a taste 
for agricultural pursuits; particularly for the improved 
breeds of the animals composing farm stock; and I should 
have been highly gratified to have been at the fair, but 
other duties required me at home. 
The specimens of fine cattle were superb, as stated to 
me by a gentlemen who exhibited some of the finest. 
He* remarked, however, that none of the cows shown, 
gave milk.* They were trained and exhibited merely as 
samples of symmetry and beauty, in high condition. All 
this is fine, and very valuable; but, I ask, whether use¬ 
fulness and profit, in all agricultural relations, ought not 
* This is a mistake, 
and there -were among 
State.— Eds. 
Most of the cows exhibited gave milk, 
them some of the best milkers in the 
