[From the Maine Farmer.] The testimony in favor of the use of Coe's Superphosphate of Lime. is from the most reliable sources, and of so conclusive a character that there should be no hesitation on the part of farmers and others to apply it in the culture of every description of farm crops. Levi Bartlett, one of the most intelligent and successful agriculturists in the country, writes as follows: WARNER, N. H., Dec. 23, 1861. MESSRS, COE & Co.:-Your favor of the 14th inst. was duly received. In reply to your inquiries about the use and results of your Superphosphate of Lime in this vicinity the past season, I am happy to say its application gave very general satisfaction-so much so that the testimony is strongly in favor of its use, and many that used it the past season will purchase more largely the next spring. The Superphosphate was mostly used for the corn crop; some of 100,000 BARRELS OF THE LODI MANUFACTURING CO.'S FOR SALE BY JAMES T. FOSTER, THE No. 66 Cortlandt-St., New-York. HE large facilities which they enjoy by exclusive contract for all the night soil of the city of New-York, and the large capital invested in their extensive works, enable them to manufacture an article which is superior to any other fertilizer in market, taking COST and YIELD into consideration. It will be sold at the usual price of $1.50 per barrel for seven barrels or over, delivered free in New-York city. Please take notice that the office and sale of this Company's the farmers estimating the increase of the crop at least twenty-five Poudrette is changed from Messrs. Griffing, Brother & Co., No. 60 per cent. I procured a bag of your brand at Manchester last spring, as also a bag of Peruvian Guano. I experimented with the two manures, in equal quantities, on different soils and crops-such as corn, potatoes, beans and turnips. In every instance the Superphosphate exhibited the most marked effects. Cortlandt-Street, to No. 66 CORTLANDT-STREET. Other brands of what purports to be Poudrette are in market, put up in barrels to resemble this. Beware of frauds-buy that only which has the brand of the Lodi Manufacturing Co. Any other ar ticle is comparatively worthless. We call attention to the following experiences of practical farmers in different sections of the country: NORTH PEMBROKE, MASS., Oct. 7, 1861. There has been but little Superphosphate used in this vicinity till last spring, and that mostly on the corn crop. I have no doubt further experiments would have shown it equally valuable on most of our farm crops-and much more so on the turnip tribe of plants. I used James R. Dey, Esq.. President of the Lodi Manufacturing Co.: Dear Sir-The early autumnal frosts for several years past have it freely in growing the sweet German turnip, the bulbs averaging seriously injured our corn crops, and rendered it necessary for farmers twice the size of any grown in previous years, on similar land and in this section to seek some fertilizer to give their crops an early start, culture, except the Superphosphate. You are aware of the impor-in order to bring them to maturity in season to avoid that calamity. Having experimented with Guano, Superphosphate of Lime, etc., tance attached to Superphosphate in Great Britain, in the growth of etc., with indifferent success, in the spring of 1860 I purchased four turnips and other root crops. The nutrition of plants is the same barrels of the Lodi Manufacturing Co.'s Poudrette, which I applied the world over. The same manures found useful on the long culti-principally to my corn crop, with the most satisfactory results. This was the first Poudrette ever introduced into this vicinity. Last spring vated soil of Old England, will be found equally useful on the long cul- I procured from your branch office in Boston about 30 barrels, the tivated soil of New England. Among the artificially prepared ma- most of which I sold to my neighbors, who had witnessed the effect of nures in England, Superphosphate has a well deserved and high my last year's trial, which, so far as heard from, has given universal satisfaction. To further test the efficacy of your Poudrette, this standing. season I plowed about two acres of light sandy soil, which had laid in grass about six years (the last crop of grass being very light.) This I planted with corn and potatoes, applying about four and a half barrels of Poudrette, with no other manure, except a handful of ashes to each hill at the first hoeing, and from present appearances we shall have a better crop than on a field of like soil where we applied twentyfive loads of manure to the acre. Its effects on garden vegetables are equally apparent. I am, very respectfully, yours, To give some idea of the expenditure of British farmers for bonedust and Superphosphate of Lime, I give the following figures, recently employed by Prof. Anderson of Glasgow, in a paper on "Analysis and Valuation of Manures;" Annual amount of bone dust, 40.000 tons, at £6.... Annual amount of Superphosphates from Coprolites, £240,000 360,000 Or, in dollars, six million, eight hundred and fifty thousand, annually NEW RASPBERRY from the great West. The Gooseberry is large, smooth, prolific, of fine flavor, and free from Mildew. The Raspberry is a black cap, even larger and finer than Doolittle's Improved. Circulars sent on application. HEFFRON & BEST, Utica, N. Y. Feb, 6-wtfm3t. N SIER Sirs-I bought of your agents, Cross & Newell, two barrels of your Poudrette, and in using the first I got sick of it, and sold the other barrel. But the one that I used I tried the principal part on potatoes. I used about half a pint to the hill, and the yield was equal to those planted on manure at the rate of twenty loads to the acre. My neighbor who bought the other barrel says if he had bought five barrels more he would have saved the price of twenty barrels. Yours, &c., V. B. PAUL. Gentlemen-Last spring I bought from Cross & Newell one barrel of your Poudrette, as an experiment, with but very little faith in its utility. I put it on 6 rows of corn in different parts of the field, after manuring with barn-yard manure in the usual way-at the second time hoeing, where I put the Poudrette the corn was twice as large as the rest of the field, and this now is one-third heavier, and has ripened about elght days earlier. I think it the very thing we want for raising corn in this country, and shall use it more extensively another year Yours, &c.. WELLINGTON SHOREY, SMYRNA, DEL., Oct. 1, 1861. Gentlemen--I had heard of the Poudrette manufactured by the Lodi Manufacturing Co., and thought I would try a small quantity on a lot of land intended for corn, and as I could not get it nearer than Philadelphia, I went and bought of the agent twenty barrels, and applied two barrels to the acre, dropping the corn and a handful of Poudrette in each hill. I left out a part of two rows and put no Poudrette, to ascertain if there was any value in it, and noticed those two rows during the season; and where the Poudrette was used the corn was decidedly the best, and I have no hesitation in saying it is a good manure for corn. I am certain I made from one-third to onehalf more by using it. Yours, respectfully, To the Lodi Manufacturing Co.: JOHN G. BLACK. CHESTER, PA., Sept. 14. 1861. Gentlemen-I purchased this season of Messrs, Baker & Co., eleven WILLOW-Salix Purpurea.- barrels of Poudrette, and one bag of Phuine, which I put on my corn. H I marked the place where I put the Phuine, which, when started, Cuttings and Plants at low prices. HEFFRON & BEST, seemed ahead, but now the corn where the Poudrette was on is much Feb. 6-wtfm3t. Utica, N. Y. the best. Last year I used Allen & Needle's New Fertilizer, which did no good at all, as the corn done better without the manure, I think T O R R I V E R the Poudrette made by your Company the cheapest manure in use. Yours, &c., A. R. PERKINS. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT The Company's pamphlet, containing directions for its use, with other valuable information and the experience of over one hundred farmers, will be sent free to any one applying for the same. Address "JAMES T. FOSTER," Care of Lodi Manufacturing Co.. 66 Cortlandt-St., New-York. SHORT-HORNS AND ALDERNEYS JO FOR SALE. OSEPH BRECK & SON, SEEDSMEN & FLORISTS, 51 & 52 North Market-St., Boston, Offer for sale the choicest collection of VEGETABLE SEEDS to be found in this country, including every new and rare variety, of their own raising or importation, and are warranted reliable in every respect. By remitting $1, $2, $3, $5 or $10 we will send, free of charge, liberal assortments put up for family use as may be wanted. Our collection of FLOWER SEEDS, embracing everything new from London, Hamburgh and Paris, are from the best Florists of Europe, and have always proved to be good and true. Such as are raised best in this country are grown by our senior partner, JOSEPH BRECK, Esq., President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, whose well known love of flowers will not allow any that are not really fine to grow in his garden, or the seeds from indifferent ones to be sold. By remitting $1, #2, #3, $5 or $10 the finest selections will be made Feb. 20-w6tm2t. by himself, and forwarded. Catalogues gratis, tion, at the same prices. Boxed and delivered on rail car or ship-TRU board. L. G. MORRIS. Scarsdale P. O., Westchester Co., N. Y. CHEESE MAKERS. TO THE ONEIDA CHEESE VAT, Ralph's Patent. is superior in practical utiilty, material and workmanship to any in use. Though but recently patented and introduced to the public, the demand for them is unprecedented. Circulars containing a general description, sizes and prices, sent by mail on ap plication to WILLIAM RALPH, Holland Patent, N. Y., of whom TRUE DELAWARE GRAPEVINES, FROM THE ORIGINAL VINES, One year old, 50 cents to $1; 2 years old, and strong layers with fruit wood. $1.50 to $2. Less by the dozen or hundred. Also Cuyahogas at $1 to $1.50; Allen's and Roger's new Hybrids, Crevelings, Dianas, Concords, Hartford Prolific, Rebeccas, and Many other Valuable Kinds, New and Old, at as low prices as they can be had from any reliable source. Descriptive price lists sent to all applicants. Feb. 13-w9tm2t. GEORGE W. CAMPBELL, Delaware, Ohio. State, County and Town rights for this valuable improvement may AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL be obtained on reasonable terms. Jan. 16-w&mtf. CHOICE AND RELIABLE SEEDS BY MAIL, POSTPAID, TO ALL PARTS OF THE UNION. B. K. BLISS, Seedsman & Florist, Springfield Mass., WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DEALER IN GARDEN, AGRICULTURAL & FLOWER SEEDS. Would invite the attention of Amateurs, Florists. Gardeners, and all | No. 5 contains fifteen very select varieties of Greenhouse Seeds, $3.00 interested in Agricultural pursuits, to the NINTH EDITION of his No. 6 contains one hundred varieties of Annuals, Biennials, DESCRIPTIVE SEED CATALOGUE for 1861-62, containing accu- No. 7 contains fifty varieties of Annuals, Biennials, and Perenand Perennials, including many new and choice varieties. 5.00 rate descriptions of 1,350 VARIETIES OF FLOWER SEEDS, and upwards nials, of 350 varieties of VEGETABLE AND AGRICULTURAL SEEDS with special directions for the culture of each variety, so simplified as to be clear ly understood by the most inexperienced person. It will be mailed to all applicants upon receipt of a three cent stamp. A Supplement to the above, containing a list of all of the novelties introduced by European Florists, the past year, with many other valuable additions, will be published early in March, and mailed to all who have received a copy of the Catalogue. Particular attention is invited to his choice collection of French and German Asters, Carnation and Picotee Pinks, Calceolarias, Cinerarias, German Stocks, Coxcombs, Double Hollyhocks, CamelliaFlowered Balsams, Gloxinia, Mimulus, Verbenas, Pelargonium, English Pansies, Chinese Primrose, Sweet Williams, &c. received direct from the parties who grow these plants for the English and Continental Exhibitions, by which we are enabled to insure to purchasers Pure and Genuine Seeds of the best sorts in cultivation, ⚫ raised from prize flowers only. Flower Seeds by Mail. The following collections, embracing many of the most desirable varieties. (including several novelties,) have been sent out from his establishment for the past eight years, and are now favorably known in every section of the country, will be sent by mail, postpaid, to any address in the Union, on receipt of the price affixed. No. 1 contains twenty choice varieties of Annuals,. No. 2 contains twenty choice varieties of Biennials and Perennials. 2.50 No. 8 contains twenty varieties of hardy Annuals, Biennials, and Perennials, for sowing in the autumn................. 1.00 The seeds contained in the above assortments are of our own selec tion, Purchasers who prefer to make their selection from the Catalogue, will be entitled to a discount proportionate to the quantity ordered, as follows: Purchasers remitting $1.00 may select seeds at Catalogue prices amounting to $1.10 2.00 do. do. 2.25 do. do. do. do. do. 3.00 do. do. do. 4.00 do. do. do. 4.75 5.00 do. do. do. 6.00 do. do. 10.00 do. do. 20.00 do. do. do. 26.00 do. do. 30.00 do. The above collections contain only the most desirable varieties. They are put up in packets containing to ounce each, affording an ample supply for a small family for a season. Those who wish to obtain larger quantities are referred to the following collections, which, on account of their bulk, can only be sent by express: No. 1.-COMPLETE COLLECTION, sufficient for a large garden for one year's supply, comprising twelve quarts of Peas of the very best sorts for succession, six varieties each of Beans, Cabbage, Turnips, Corn; four varieties each of Lettuce, Onions, Radish, Muskmelons, Watermelons, Cucumbers; three varieties each of Tomatoes, Cauliflowers. Celery, Broccoli, with a full supply of Spinach, Beet. Carrots, Cress, Parsley, Parsnip, Salsify, Egg Plant, Pepper, Endive, Sweet and Pot Herbs, and many other sorts of culinary and vegetable seeds in liberal quantities. No. 2.-COMPLETE COLLECTION for a moderate sized garden, containing six quarts of Peas, and most of the other varieties in proportion. STRAWBERRY PLANTS BY MAIL. We will send to any post office address in the country, postpaid, and carefully put up so as to carry safely, one hundred good plants of any variety found in our catalogue at the prices there annexed. For inTriomphe de Gand. $2, &c. Wilson's 41; 100 Trollopes $1.50; No orders filled for plants by mail for less than one dollar's worth of any one kind, and when less than 100 are ordered IT MUST BE AT THE DOZEN PRICE. For prices of SELECT LISTS OF STRAWBERRIES, RASPBER RIES and BLACKBERRIES. and of GRAPES, CURRANTS, and GOOSEBERRIES, &c., &c., see our circular, which will be sent to all applicants enclosing stamp. J. KNOX, Box 155, Pittsburgh, Pa. March 27-w&mlt. THE FARMER'S LIBRARY. We know of no works which afford so much Practical Information on the subject of American Agriculture, which can be procured for double the cost, as the Third Series of "THE CULTIVATOR," the 8th vol, of which is now completed. The price of the Eight volumes, handsomely bound in muslin, is 75 cents each at this office, or $1.00 each sent by mail, post paid. Either volume from 8, can be had separately at the same price. The Eight volumes will be sent per Express to any part of the country, receipt of 46. PUBLISHED BY LUTHER TUCKER & SON that," chemically speaking" he knows EDITORS AND PROPRIETORS, 395 BROADWAY, ALBANY, N. Y. J. J. THOMAS, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, UNION SPRINGS, N. Y. [SERIES. No. 5. nothing about it," quizically inquires, in unmitigated italics, who does? All I know about the chemistry of this crop is that in 100 pounds of the grain of buckwheat there are, in round TERMS FIFTY CENTS A YEAR.-Ten copies of the CULTIVATOR and numbers, and for practical purposes, just about the same Ten of the ANNUAL REGISTER OF RURAL AFFAIRS, with one of each free to the Agent, Five Dollars. THE CULTIVATOR has been published twenty-eight years. A NEW SERIES was commenced in 1853, and the nine volumes for 1833, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 60 and 61 can be furnished, bound and post paid, at $1.00 each. "THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN," a weekly Agricultural Journal of 16 quarto pages, making two vols. yearly of 416 pages, at $2.00 per year, is issued by the same publishers. quantities of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, potash, &c., &c., throughout the list, as exist in 100 pounds of husked rye, wheat, barley, oats or maize. This assertion is on the evidence of the latest authorities I can find. As to the straw of buckwheat, I have access to but one analysis, according to which it is destitute of the silica which forms 50 to 70 per cent. of the The Cultivator & Country Gentleman. ash of the straw of the proper grains, and contains twice [For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] CORN AFTER BUCKWHEAT. Exhaustive Power of Different Crops. MESSRS. EDITORS-Experience is quite at swords points with itself as to the exhausting effects of buckwheat. Count Gasparin, a man as skilled in agriculture as he is able in writing about it, says: "Buckwheat, when cultivated in countries adapted to its growth, has valuable properties. It is not an exacting crop, and accommodates itself to the poorest soils, proportioning, however, its yield to their lack of fertility. In northern countries (of Europe) it usefully fills the interval between the the gathering of early harvests, especially those of barley; and the preparation for the crops of the succeeding year. It is the first crop which is put upon new plowed land. It gives the soil time to settle; it profits from the manure which is laid on for a succeeding wheat crop, and which ripens and becomes suitable for the nourishment of wheat. Its abundant foliage adapts buckwheat to smother weeds, and at the same time to collect abundantly the fertilizing matters of the atmosphere. It has also been remarked that this plant exhausts the soil but little."* In all the agricultural books we find substantially the same statements. Among farmers generally buckwheat has the repute of not exhausting the soil. What does it mean then that Messrs. HOLDEN and COLBURN find that buckwheat is "a bad crop for the soil." Is there anything peculiar in the soils of North Clarendon and Springfield, in the State of Vermont? Has the plant suddenly changed its habits and requirements-sported, as the florists say, into a new variety? Or are the old authorities wrong after all? Perhaps because Gasparin, Burger, Thaær and Arthur Young were book farmers, albeit honest, practical men in the start, nature and buckwheat have conspired to put them to shame, and turn their counsels into confusion! Perhaps chemistry can help us, and yet A. W. W. of Downingtown, Pa., the bold man who has dared to write the "last word" save perhaps this, after frankly declaring Cours d'Agriculture, vol. 3, p. 720. as much alkalies, (40 per cent.,) twice as much lime, (16 per cent.,) and twice as much phosphoric acid (10 per cent.) In the absence, however, of any data as to the percentage of mineral matters in the straw, and the proportion of straw to grain, it is not possible to exhibit much "science" in present purposes to say that in our opinion, common sense, discussing the chemistry of the subject. Suffice it for taking into account the facts of experience and science together, and winnowing them well in the fan of her incredulous criticism, (whereby be it known to the rapid chemists and slow "practical men," that a vast cloud of chaff and Egyptian darkness, mislabelled "truth" and "fact," go off to the frightened leeward,) may find the real gist of the matter, and render buckwheat as satisfactory a subject for contemplation as flap-jacks are for gustation. The questions before us are: Does buckwheat exhaust the soil, and if so, how much? In other words, is it a bad crop for the soil? If so, when and to what degree? The first question I shall answer by asking another. Does it exhaust a man to do a day's work? Obviously the result of a day's work upon a man is not what the mathematicians call a "constant quantity." It depends upon at least two circumstances, either of which may vary to an indefinite extent. To proceed systematically with the argument, it depends, 1st. Upon the nature of the man. A strong man is less likely to suffer exhaustion than a weak man, a well man than a sick man, a skilled man than a raw hand. My big, raw-boned neighbor, Hercules Stark, has done day's works all his life, and never was exhausted; but that delicate young aristocrat from the city, Nehemiah Poughney Doolittle, is out of breath, and has a pain in his liver with spreading one swath of timothy2d. It depends upon the character of the day's work. Other things being equal, a long day's work exhausts more than a short one, a hard one more than an easy one, a hot one more than a cool one, one that has been paid for more + Die Getreidearten und das Brod. Von Bibra, 1860, 138 THE CULTIVATOR. than one that will be paid for, and one of the head more than one of the hands. Verily circumstances alter cases. If we ask a company of jolly mowers working in the bay field of a good natured farmer who pays promptly, commends heartily, feeds well, and inquires of the men kindly after their wives and little ones, we shall hear their unanimous verdict, that a day's work doesn't exhaust them; only keeps them in appetite and good health, and makes them sleep well. But stand at the door of a Manchester cotton mill when the operators are turned out at night, and you may read in the faces of the pale, sallow, hollow-eyed column that files past, that a day's work exhausts both the vigor of the body and the spring of the heart. So with the buckwheat question, we may expect to have it answered both yes and no. May. by any ordinary untoward circumstances. This tenacity of The reputation of buckwheat as a crop that is not ex- It must be confessed, however, that the agricultural use of When on a soil of medium or inferior strength, which the word exhaustion, is for the most part an erroneous one. gives a fair return with good manurings and judicious ro- To exhaust a soil absolutely, is a practical impossibility, no tations, we sow buckwheat under such circumstances as to matter what kind, succession or number of crops we put secure a heavy crop, the soil is certainly exhausted, con- upon it. Of relative exhaustion we may have quite any sidered with reference to another heavy grain crop. Thus number of varieties or degrees. But in ordinary agriculMr. Holden turned under grass, applied a fair coat of ma-tural language it is customary only to speak of exhaustion nure, and had a crop which ought to have been pretty without any qualification, and more often than otherwise heavy. How heavy he does not say, but he does not com- no facts are given which enable one to judge of its amount. plain of it being small. After buckwheat bad thus con- Owing to this looseness of language, which is due to an sumed the sod manure, corn was planted and failed to indefinite and inexplicit way of thinking upon the subject, make ears. Why? Obviously because it had nothing to we find in the agricultural papers, on the authority of make them of! Close by, however, in the same field somebody or other, that every crop, and worse still, every where buckwheat had not grown, corn did well. Why? manure almost, except stable dung, is exhausting. A. Because it was planted on an inverted sod, as the buck- says wheat is exhausting; B. declares maize is exhaustwheat was the year before. To make the trial satisfactory ing; C. knows rye is exhausting; D. tells us to try toby putting the corn and buckwheat into the same con-bacco if we would like to see an exhausting crop, and ditions, Mr. Holden ought to plant corn this year where finally "buckwheat is bad for the soil." Guano, bones, Mr. superphosphate, &c., &c., are also exhausting. It is all On the other hand, all these crops and manures are he had it last. Very likely it wouldn't make ears. Colburn turned in a light crop of grass in June, sowed to true. buckwheat, and had a heavy crop. Next year he ma- so far from being exhausting that they are beneficial, so nured the same field well, and planted to corn; it came say X., Y. and Z., and they are good authority. on slowly, and yielded a fair growth of fodder, with an undue proportion of soft corn. Liking a crop of forty bushels of buckwheat, he repeated the process a year or "I two after, and with the same results. Mr. C. says: then made up my mind that buckwheat is not only an exhausting crop, but that it leaves the soil unfit for a good crop after it, until it can recover from the effects of the buckwheat." Now it would almost appear that Mr. C. has allowed his feelings to warp his judgment, If, as is stated in a slip I cut from an agricultural paper-(an extra copy, I don't generally cut agricultural papers)—a bushel of buckwheat weighs 52 pounds, then 40 bushels of buckwheat is a yield corresponding to 34 bushels of wheat. Would Mr. C. think of getting good corn on a field the next season after harvesting from it 34 bushels of wheat? And if he should try it and get only "a fair growth of fodder, with an undue proportion of soft corn," would he venture to say that "wheat is a bad crop for the soil ?" He remarks in he continues. an acre. Circumstances alter cases, and our moral is: Consider the circumstances, for in them you will find the reason of Let us be cautious then about laying down the case. Day is a fact, and night is a fact. Opposites may be true. SARRASIN. general rules or deducing universal laws from the experience of a ten acre lot. BAD ADVICE ABOUT SEEDING. A correspondent of the N. E. Farmer says that a farmer MESSRS. EDITORS-So far from subscribing to the fore- Formerly when I sowed two bushels to the acre I was glad to obtain a yield of 30 or 40 bushels, and frequently got less-the straw full of weeds and badly lodged. Now The fact is, it is not the name of the crop which ex-I get without difficulty from 50 to 70 bushels; am never hausts, but the number of pounds that we take off from troubled with weeds and seldom have it lodge. This sowing of half a bushel of seed to the acre may Buckwheat is mentioned in agricultural books Canterbury," but no where this side of as giving a very variable crop. Gasparin quotes from do down in " Burger a table of the yield of buckwheat cultivated for 16 there I fancy. years in the same locality, (Carinthia, in Austria,) and uniformly sown upon the stubble of winter rye. The yield ranges from the extremes of 2 to 32 bushels, the average being 13 bushels. In Flanders the maximum yield is 56 bushels, the average 17 bushels. The average crop is not exhausting to average soils, the best crop is not exhausting to the best soils, and the poorest crop is not exhausting to the poorest soils. Buckwheat is peculiar for its faculty of getting on to some extent in the most barren soils. It won't be killed Fearing that silence might be construed into an ap proval by the whole agricultural world of what I consider so great and dangerous a heresy, I wish to place upon record my protest. In England, I believe the usual quantity sown is from four to six bushels-but in this country from three to four is probably sufficient. My observation and experience teach me that the quantity of grain and grass seed sown is generally too little-seldom too much. Elm Park, near Fort Wayne, Ind. L. D. G. NELSON. |