Part 4

[9] In Flanders, wheat yields 20; rye, 26; barley, 26; and oats, 40, for one.--Wheat holds only the fifth rank in value in the harvest of Flanders. In England, wheat never yields more, on an average, than 10 or 11 for one; barley, something less than 10 to 1; and oats only between 8 and 9 for one. In some highly ameliorated farms in the county of Suffolk, Arthur Young reports a produce of 36 bushels of wheat, and 64 bushels of barley to the acre; and that in the county of Kent, soils of middling quality, equally ameliorated, yield per acre 52 bushels of wheat, and the same quantity of barley. But in Flanders, there are soils which yield much more than this--namely, 72 bushels of wheat, 120 of barley, 128 of beans, and 72 of coleseed.--These, however, are extreme cases, which do not affect the general question of comparative growths; while, however, they shew that the amelioration of land, in any country, is calculated greatly to increase its productiveness.

This correct, though "bird's eye" view, of Flemish husbandry, merits farther amplification, in order to furnish distinct data to the intelligent and enterprising agriculturist. My subsequent communications will be directed to that subject.

Respectfully, yours,

GEO. HOUSTON.

_New York, April 18, 1820._

_From the Raleigh Star._

LINCOLN CORN POUNDER.

The usual mode of feeding Indian corn to cattle and hogs, is wasteful in the extreme. The cob is not eaten, and the corn is neither ground nor boiled. It is a well established physiological fact, that the good health of animals requires, that the aliments for the stomach should afford both nutriment and mechanical distention in due proportions. In the usual method of feeding, these proportions do not exist, and besides the nutritious quality is only partially extracted. The grinding of corn is sometimes practised by those who have mills, and boiling by those who have not. Meal is sometimes mixed with hot water and fermented. All these are improvements in feeding, but these are not sufficient. Lately, a mill of cast iron has been invented, which converts both corn and cob into meal, and is used also by tanners in grinding their bark. This improvement is valuable. The cob, while it affords in itself much nutriment, furnishes a degree of distension to the stomach, which is necessary to its proper action. If to this grinding of the cob and grain is superadded fermentation, or boiling, the economical process is nearly complete. I have not time to say what the subject requires in regard to fermentation. Boiling not only renders the articles acted on soluble in the stomach, but it does more--it adds nutriment furnished by the water itself. The experiments of Count Rumford are full and satisfactory on this head. Let those who doubt the nutritive qualities of water be reminded that many kinds of fish live, grow and fatten in pure water, without any other food whatever.---Every one has seen the gold fish, which have lived for years in globes of pure water, that are sometimes put by the curious into cages of canary birds. Water and air constitute the entire aliment of vegetables, and give them bulk without diminishing at all the quantity of soil in which they grow. The perfection of feeding corn consists in preserving the cob, grinding the whole into meal, and in the cookery. The iron mill is excellent, but too expensive for most farmers. What is wanting, then, is to have the corn, with its cob, powdered by some cheap and simple method, that every one may avail themselves of. Such a one, accident lately made me acquainted with; and I think it is so valuable that I am desirous of seeing it introduced into general use, and shall attempt a description of the machine by which the process was effected.

This machine I saw last summer in operation, on the road between Lincolnton and Morgantown. It was a horizontal shaft with a beater at one end, poised by the weight of water falling into an excavation at the other. The shaft or helve was about fourteen, possibly sixteen feet long. At two thirds of its length from the beater, it rested by a notch across the sharpened edge of a piece of timber lying in a transverse direction, serving as a pivot or fulcrum for the shaft to move on. The beater was a piece of wood two feet, or rather more, in length, fixed by a mortice and tennon to the end of the shaft; its face was about two inches and a half in diameter, and plated with iron. The mortar which received this pestal, or beater, was the hollowed end of a log, wide at top, narrower at bottom, and would contain nearly a bushel. The other, or shorter end of the shaft, was excavated into a trough about three feet long, eight inches wide, and the same in depth. The extreme inner end of the trough formed an angle of ascent from the line of the bottom of about 35 degrees, affording thereby an easy exit to the water when depressed by its weight. This very simple machine, for I have described the whole of it, was placed upon the small run of a spring branch, where there was a descent of about two feet. The water was conveyed into the trough by a spout which approached it at right angles, and the trough was filled and discharged about twice in a minute. Every morning, and again at evening, this mortar was filled with ears of corn, which in twelve hours were found reduced to a very fine meal. It was capable of converting to meal three or four mortars full in a day, but two were sufficient for the use of the plantation, and the mortar was attended to only when it could be done with convenience. In a wet season, when the spring run afforded more water, it moved with increased celerity, and was capable of increased work. The machine was without cover, and I observed barn-door fowls around it, but afraid of the motion of the shaft, they never ventured to purloin from the mortar. The whole expense of this, I think, could not have exceeded four or five dollars.

I know not the inventor of this machine. There were a few others, I was told, in Lincoln and Burke. Its extreme simplicity, cheapness and utility, and the means afforded to almost every one of putting it in motion, ought to recommend it to general use. I am persuaded this method of pounding corn, united to boiling or fermentation, would double the value of crops for feeding. No rule is necessary to be observed with regard to the dimensions, or proportions of the machine. It must duly be noticed that the trough filled with water is heavy enough to raise the bearer; and this can be ascertained, and the proportions duly adjusted by experiment.----If Mr. Henderson think but half as favourably of this machine as I do, he will give the foregoing a place in his useful paper.

CALVIN JONES.

_Raleigh, Dec. 20, 1820._

TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

_An improved method of cultivating the Alpine Strawberry._----The strawberry is a fruit which is agreeable to the palate of so many persons, and which disagrees with the constitution of so few, that any means of improving the culture of it, and of prolonging the season of its maturity and perfection, will be acceptable to the Horticultural Society: I am therefore induced to send an account of an improved method of cultivating the _Alpine Strawberry_, that is, I believe, little if at all known, and that I have practised with the best possible success.

Though the flavour of the Alpine varieties is generally approved, they are not much thought of while the larger varieties continue in perfection, and are valued only as an autumnal crop. I was therefore led to try several different methods of culture, with a view to obtain plants that would just begin to blossom when the other varieties cease; conceiving that such plants, not having expended either themselves, or the virtue of the soil, in a previous crop of fruit, would afford the best and most abundant autumnal produce. Under this impression, I sowed the seeds of the best Alpine variety that I had ever been able to obtain, in pots of mould, in the beginning of August, the seeds of the preceding year having been preserved to that period; and the plants these afforded were placed, in the end of March, in beds to produce fruit. This experiment succeeded tolerably well; but I was not quite satisfied with it; for though my plants produced an abundant autumnal crop of fruit, they began to blossom somewhat earlier than I wished, and before they were perfectly well rooted in the soil. I therefore tried the experiment of sowing some seeds of the same variety early in the spring, in pots which I placed in a hotbed of moderate strength in the beginning of April, and the plants thus raised were removed to the beds in which they were to remain in the open ground as soon as they had acquired a sufficient size. They began to blossom soon after midsummer, and to ripen their fruit towards the end of July, affording a most abundant crop of very fine fruit. The powers of life in plants thus raised, being young and energetic, operate much more powerfully than in the runners of older plants, or even in plants raised from seeds in the preceding year; and therefore I think the Alpine strawberry ought always to be treated as an annual plant.

OILING FRUIT TREES.

Sir George M'Kenzie has discovered that oil rubbed upon the stems and branches of fruit trees destroys insects, and increases the fruit buds. Mr. John Linning has added to the discovery, by using it successfully upon the stems of carnations, to guard them against the depredations of the ear-wig. The coarsest oil will suit, and only a small quantity is required.

CULTURE OF FOREST TREES.

Sir Watkin Williams Wynn has planted within the last 5 years, in the mountainous lands in the vicinity of Langollen, situated from 12,000 to 14,000 feet above the level of the sea, 39,000 oaks, 63,000 Spanish chesnuts, 102,000 spruce firs, 110,000 Scotch firs, 90,000 larches, 30,000 wych elms, 35,000 mountain elms, 80,000 ash, and 40,000 sycamores, all of which are at this time, in a healthy and thriving condition.

TO PREVENT DECAY IN TREES.

When old chesnut or other trees are rotted within the trunk, and threaten with speedy destruction by the progress of the carious taint, it may be stopped by applying fire to the decayed part, so as to _char_ the whole of the neighbouring surfaces. By this management the life of a favourite tree may often be preserved.

[_Chaptal's Chemistry_.

ON PLASTER.

I have just received my _plaster_ from the mill. I remarked to the man who brought it, that it was too coarse. He replied that all our farmers preferred it coarse, and assigned this reason--that in grinding it fine, _it becomes so heated as to injure it_. I delay not a moment in expostulating against a doctrine so unphilosophical, and so injurious to the interests of agriculture. Every farmer knows that _grain_, as _food_ for _animals_ cannot be made too fine. Upon the same principle, _plaster_, which is _food_ for _vegetables_, affords the most nutriment when reduced to the finest powder. _Heat_ so far from injuring the properties of plaster, is the best agent for bringing them into action. This theory is the result of repeated experiment. Calcined plaster, which is produced by a process of _intense heat_, is found much more invigorating, and more permanently beneficial, than plaster in its simple state.

While on this subject, I will suggest for consideration, whether our farmers, generally spread a sufficient quantity of plaster particularly on their grass land. Mr. Silas Gates, a well known farmer in Marlborough, informed me, that he directed one of his men to spread on a certain piece of mowing land, the usual quantity, (if I mistake not, at the rate of one bushel to the acre.) He had gone over about half the ground, at this rate, when other calls prevented his finishing it. Soon after the business of plastering was consigned to another, who, not knowing that any had been spread, went over the ground, giving one half a double portion.--The result was nearly a double portion of hay, which continued until the surface was changed by a rotation of crops.

Your obed't, O FISKE.

Worcester, April 17, 1820.

[_Mass. Spy._

CATERPILLARS.

Farmers who are in the habit of _rearing_ CATERPILLARS, for _ornament_ and _use_, will doubtless be gratified to learn, that the late favourable weather has produced a goodly show of their favourite vermin. They are already basking in the sun, and expanding by the nutricious aliment of foliage and fruit buds; and if not prematurely molested, (which there is little reason to apprehend) we may, in due time, taste from our kneading troughs the former repasts of Egypt.

Judging from the produce of last year, it may be fairly calculated that many of our farmers, (and some who _do not belong to the Agricultural Society_) will, this year, raise double as many bushels of _caterpillars_ as of _apples_. Those (and there are some,) who prefer the appearance and flavour of the latter, will do well to look to their trees immediately. A thimble full of these reptiles, which can now be destroyed in an instant, would fill a hat a month hence, and would require tenfold the labour to subdue them. Every farmer's common sense will suggest the best method of extirpation.--_Ibid._

_A method of taking the Honey without destroying the Bees._--The common practice of killing the bees, in order to obtain the honey, few can witness without some little compunction; and as there is a very simple method of effecting the object without any injury to this most interesting little animal, (which, on the score of interest, as well as humanity, claims regard,) I beg leave to communicate it through your paper, should you deem it worthy a place in it.

In the evening, when the bees have retired, take the hive gently from the stand; spread a table cloth on the ground; set the hive on it, placing something under to raise it three or four inches; then draw up the corners of the cloth, and fasten them tight around the middle of the hive, leaving it so loose below, that the bees will have sufficient room between it and the hive--then raise the lid of the hive a little, and blow in the smoke from a segar; a few puffs of which, as it is very disagreeable, will drive them down: continue raising the lid gradually, blowing in the smoke all around, and in a few minutes it will be found that they have all gone out of the hive. You may then take off the lid, and cut away as much of the honey as you may think proper. If the operation be performed the beginning of July, you may take nearly all, as there will be time enough to provide a sufficiency for their support during the winter. As soon as you have taken the honey, put on the lid, loosen the cloth, and spread it out, and in an hour or two the bees will have returned into the hive. It may then be replaced on the stand, and on the following day they will be found at work as usual.

This method is very simple, and preferable to that sometimes practised, of driving the bees into another hive; as you get all the honey, and moreover the new comb, which is still empty; and the young bees, not yet out of the cells, are preserved. There is also danger in driving, of their not liking their new habitation, and, in that case, of their sallying out and making war on their neighbours.

The above method has frequently been practised by myself and others, and we have always found it to do well.

AMATOR MELLIS.

_Washington, June, 1819._ [_Am. Farm._

_Conversion of Rags into Sugar._--We find this is no joke. There is in the _Annales de Chemie_ a long and very circumstantial account, from the pen of M. Henry Braconnot, of Geneva, of the whole process of this singular discovery; and are now so well satisfied there is nothing of "pleasantry" in the matter, as at first sight appeared to many, that, should we be told to-morrow that, as linen may be converted into its constituent principle, sugar--(a piece of fine Irish linen into a loaf of double refined!)--so may wool be converted into its constituent principle, fat--(an old threadbare coat into a basin of fine gravy soup!)--we shall be prepared to look quite grave at the announcement.

"The conversion of wood into sugar (says M. Braconnot) will, no doubt, appear remarkable; and when persons not familiar with chemical speculations are told that a pound weight of rags can be converted into _more_ than a pound of sugar, they may regard the statement as a piece of pleasantry, though nothing can be more real."

The agent in making this wonderful conversion is sulphuric acid, and those to whom it may not be enough to know that the thing can be done, will find ample directions as to the _modus operandi_ in M. Braconnot's Memoir. We shall content ourselves here with one extract:

"I made these 359.2 gr. of sugary matter (obtained from old cloth well dried) into the consistency of sirup; at the end of twenty-four hours it began to crystallize; and some days after, the whole was solidified into a single mass of crystallized sugar, which was pressed strongly between several folds of old cloth; crystallized a second time, this sugar was passably pure; but, treated with _animal_ charcoal, it became of a shining whiteness.--The crystals were in spherical groupes, which appear to be formed by the union of small diverging and unequal plates. They are fusible at the temperature of boiling water. This sugar, of a fresh and agreeable flavour, produced in the mouth a slight sensation of coolness. It dissolves in hot alcohol, and crystallizes by cooling. Dissolved in water, and mixed with a little yeast, it fermented; the vinous liquor which resulted, furnished alcohol by distillation. Burned with potash, and its charcoal washed with diluted nitric acid, it yielded a fluid not troubled by nitrate or barytes. It would be useless to insist farther on the properties of this sugar: it is evident that it is perfectly identical with the sugar of grapes or of starch."

RUTA BAGA EXPERIMENTS.

1819, July 27--Sowed three fourths of an acre of Ruta Baga, in ground prepared as follows, viz.--Stubble turned in deep--harrowed fine--furrowed deep at four feet distance--filled the furrows with _earth burnt ashes_, (burnt according to the plan prescribed by Mr. Cobbett, in his "Year's Residence,") which I covered by turning a furrow over them on each side; this formed a ridge about eighteen inches broad at top, which being smoothed a little with a hoe, and a drill made along the middle of it with the same instrument; I then sowed the seed and covered it with a hoe, from one to two inches deep; it came up on the 7th of August. When the roots were nearly a fourth of an inch thick, I thinned them to about a foot distance in the rows, and kept them free from weeds by two good ploughings and hoeings, (they would have been the better for a third) notwithstanding the unexpected dry season;--the last of November, many of them would measure fifteen inches in circumference--I left them to stand in the ground all winter. I was off the state, from the middle of December to the middle of February; on my return at the latter period, the snow had just disappeared, when I found my turnips had grown at least one fifth larger, since I saw them in December; many of them measuring six to seven inches diameter. The latter part of February was unusually warm for the season. The tops began to grow rapidly, but the severe cold nights of the early part of March, first freezing, and the warmth of the middle of the day, as often thawing them; many rotted in the ground--had they been pulled when the warm weather _commenced_, this would have been prevented. They are the cheapest, and with the exception of corn, they are the best food for milch cows and hogs, I ever met with--I have been feeding mine upon them for the last 6 weeks. Within a week past, I had them all pulled, (except those left for seed,) and thrown in heaps. Should the weather prove too warm, I shall spread them, in which way they will keep good until midsummer. Having repeatedly heard it asserted, that horses would not eat them, I determined to ascertain the truth of the assertion; accordingly, a parcel of them were washed and cut in pieces, and each horse served with about 3 galls. of them, when two out of five eat them greedily, two others eat them, but with less appetite, and the fifth refused. They had no other food allowed them for the night, and the next morning not the smallest piece was to be found in their trough.

[_Am. Far._

THE FRUIT GARDEN.

Mr. Southwick,

The art of inoculating or budding fruit trees, (although the simplest and easiest of all things,) appears to be deemed a mystery by most of our farmers, and is too generally neglected, under a belief that it is a difficult or expensive operation. If the following short directions should prove the means of changing even one thorn bush into a pear or quince tree, I shall be fully paid for the trouble of scribbling them down.

In the month of August and fore part of September, cut from the tree you wish to increase some of the young wood of the last summer's growth, (the cuttings should be thrifty and healthy) cut the leaves off, leaving about half an inch of the foot stalk on the cutting; at the foot, and immediately above the foot stalk, _lies the bud_; with a keen knife begin to cut half an inch above the bud, and bring out the knife a little below, taking about half the woody substance with it; then separate the bark from the wood, carefully observing that the bud be not injured in the operation. If the operation be properly performed, the bud will be separated from the wood, and remain unbroken and entire in the bark: this bark and bud is now to be speedily inserted into the tree you wish to change. Choose a smooth spot in some young and healthy branch, or sprout, and with a keen knife cut gently through the bark, about one inch in length, and a small cross cut near the upper end; separate the bark gently from the wood at this cross cut, being careful not to wound the bark or wood, and immediately insert the bud, laying it smooth and even under the bark of the tree; with a string of bass wood bark, or woollen yarn, tie it in so as to hold it close to the wood, being careful not to injure the bud nor foot stock--and the operation is done.--In two or three weeks after, the bud will have united to the wood, and the tyings should be loosened or taken away. The bud will remain dormant until the next spring. In April following, they should be examined, and if the buds then appear healthy and vigorous, the branch should be cut off immediately above the bud, and removed: in a few weeks this bud will take place of the old branch, and in two years produce fruit of the kind you wish.

By this simple operation, the ordinary sour peach tree, which is an incumberer of the ground, may be made to yield the delicious Rare Ripe, the Early Ann, or other favourite peaches; or may be converted into a plum tree: and the ordinary _wild plum tree_ may be made to yield the richest and most delicious of our cultivated plums and peaches; our thorn bushes may be made to yield the rich and luscious pear; and our crab apple stalks be loaded with the finest varieties of our cultivated apples and cherries; apricots and nectarines are equally susceptible of improvement by the same easy means; nay, our wild gooseberry bushes may be converted into the best varieties, and our native grape may be made to yield an elegant dessert fruit.--All which I know by

EXPERIENCE.

[_Plough Boy_.

THE PEAR TREE.