JARDIN DES PLANTES. TO DESTROY VERMIN ON PLANTS. one building, and of the principal soils, manures; and composts in an appropriate enclosure; and so The Jardin des Plantes, at Paris, dates its on. The essence of the lectures, accompanied by origin from the beginning of the seventeenth figures of such of the implements and operations century; but, as a school of botany and vegetable as admit of representation by lines, will be found culture, was made what it is by the late Prof. in Thouin's Cours de Culture et de Naturalisation Thouin, during the first years of the consulship. des Vegetaux, by Oscar Leclerc, three vols. 8vo., Speaking with reference only to what concerns with one quarto volume of plates; and a complete plants and their culture, this garden is unquestion- description of the garden is given in the well ably the first establishment of the kind in Europe. known work of Royer.-Gard. (Eng.) Mag. We have in Britain several botanic gardens, but none maintained for the same objects as that of Paris. These objects are two: first, to collect useful or remarkable plants from every part of the world, and to distribute them to every part of France, and, as far as practicable, to every other country; and secondly, to form a perpetual school of botany and vegetable culture. Plants are brought to the Paris garden from all countries, by a universal correspondence, by particular naturalists sent out at the expense of the nation, and by the general protection and favor of government to the objects of science and the pursuits of scientific men. Objects of natural history destined for the Paris garden, in whatever description of vessels they may arrive in a French port, pay no entrance duty, and they are mostly forwarded by government conveyances to Paris free of expense. Every warlike, exploring, or commercial expedition is accompanied by naturalists officially appointed or voluntarily admitted, to whom every facility is afforded in the objects of their pursuit. Plants received in the Paris garden are propagated without loss of time, and distributed in the first place, to all the botanic gardens of France, of which there is at least one in the capital of every department; next, seeds or plants are sent to such of the colonies as it is supposed may profit most from them; and, lastly, they are sent to foreign correspondents, in proportion to similar favors received, or returns expected. The departmental botanic gardens propagate with all rapidity the plants received from the central garden, and distribute them among the eminent proprietors and cultivators of the department. This, at all events, is remarkably good in theory, Botany is taught by the lectures, demonstrations, and herborisations of a professor, and illustrated by an exemplification of 124 orders of the Jussieuean system in living plants. A considerable number of these plants are necessarily exotic, and kept under glass during winter; but, in May, before the demonstrations begin, they are brought out in the pots, and sunk in the earth in their proper places in the systematic arrangement, with their names and the names of the orders to which they belong placed beside them. The cultivation of vegetables, and all the different operations of agriculture and gardening, are taught by another professor, with assistants, and exemplified by different compartments in the garden. For instance, there is one compartment in which all the different operations on plants and on the * The sulphuret of lime is easily made in the followsoil are exemplified, from the different modes of ing manner:-Take of flour of sulphur one ounce; preparing the soil for sowing or planting, through fresh lime, finely sifted, two ounces; soft water a quart, all the species and varieties of propagation, train- boil the mixture in an iron vessel about a quarter of an ing, and pruning, even to hedge-growing and hour, frequently stirring it after it begins to boil; let it stand to settle, and pour off the clear liquor. If it is fence-making; another compartment contains all not used on the same day, it must be put into a bottle the plants of field culture; another all the medicinal filled with it, and be well corked; for, if it be exposed plants; another all the principal timber trees; ano-to the air, it will soon attract oxygen, and will then ther, as far as practicable, all the fruit trees. curdle the soap, and smear the plants with a white subSpecimens of the different implements are kept in stance, which is not easily washed off. By a correspondent of the Gardeners' Magazine. In all the recipes for destroying Acari which I have seen, sulphur is an ingredient; this, in its crude state, will not unite with the liquids used for that purpose, and therefore it can have little or no effect, except when applied as a wash on the heated flues of a house. In order to make it unite with soap suds, tobacco water, and other liquids usually made use of for destroying insects, it must be converted into a sulphuret, by boiling it with lime or an alkaline salt, as in the following mixture, which expeditiously and effectually destroys the red spider, by merely immersing the plant, or part infested, in the mixture:-Common soft soap half an ounce, sulphuret of lime* one ounce by measure (or two table spoonfuls,) soft water (hot) one ale quart. The soap and sulphuret to be first well mixed with an iron or wooden spoon, in the same manner as a mixture of egg and oil is made for a salad; the hot water is then to be added by degrees, stirring the mixture well with a painter's brush, as in making a lather, by which means a uniform fluid will be obtained, like whey, without any sediment, which may be used as soon as it is cool enough to bear the hand in it. This mixture will destroy every insect usually found in the greenhouse, by mere immersion, except the Coccus, or scaly insect, which adheres so closely to the stem, or under side of the leaf, that the mixture cannot reach its vulnerable parts; therefore, in this case, the mixture must be applied with a brush that will dislodge the insect. If the mixture be put into a wooden bowl, or any other shallow vessel, small plants in pots, and the leaves and branches of larger ones, and of fruit trees, may be easily immersed in it by pressing them down with the hand. The above mixture will not destroy the black Aphides of the cherry tree, nor the green Aphides of the plum tree, by immersing the leaves and branches in it; there being an oiliness on these insects which prevents its adhering to them. It will destroy them by applying it with a brush: but this is too tedious a process. It has been recommended, by writers on horticulture, to wash these and other fruit trees against walls, before the leaves and buds appear, with mixtures which cannot be safely applied after; for which purpose the above mixture, with the addition of spirits of turpentine, is likely to succeed as well as any other, or better: but I have not yet had an opportunity of giving it a trial. Half an ounce, by measure, of spirits of turpentine being first well mixed with the soap, and the sulphuret and water added as before; or the wash may be made stronger, by adding twice the quantity of each ingredient to the same quantity of water. For destroying slugs and worms there is no recipe so simple, attended with so little trouble, and, when properly applied, so effectual, as common lime-water. The plants on which the slugs are found must be watered with it twice at least, at an interval of three or four minutes. If you place three or four slugs on the ground, and pour lime-water on them from a watering pan, you will soon perceive them throwing off a kind of slough, and after that crawling away; but if you sprinkle them again with the lime-water, they will not be able to throw off another slough, and soon die after the second operation. When a person has therefore watered as many plants as takes up the time of three or four minutes, he must turn back to the place where he began, and water them again. Lime-water, for this purpose, may be easily made so as to be always ready. Into a trough, containing about fifty-five gallons of water, throw in two or three shovelfuls of lime, stir it up three or four times on that day, and the next day the liquor is clear and fit for use and will continue to answer the purpose for some time, without adding any fresh lime, by stirring it up again before it is used, and letting it settle. If the lime-water be of sufficient strength, it will destroy the large grey snail with twice watering, and all worms that are out of the ground at the time of watering, and it will not injure the most tender plant when used in a clear state. compared, or considered in connexion with others which are apparently in contradiction. This deficiency it is my object to supply, in addition to of fering the results of my own practice in this respect. The subject, in my opinion, presents one of those cases in which both sides of the question are true, though each may appear erroneous to those who will not compare the opposite views, and take into consideration all the circumstances which operate, or may be expected to operate, during the time of reaping. It may be true, (and I readily admit it as true,) that a head of wheat permitted to become perfectly mature on its stalk in fine weather, will furnish the greatest possible weight of grain, and of the best quality, to be derived from the particular growth of wheat: and that another taken off in a soft and green state, probably loses something, in quantity, or quality, or both, and cannot possibly gain in either of those respects. This is the amount of the results shown by the experiments referred to above, even if it is conceded, (though very doubtful,) that the manner of making such comparative experiments was perfectly correct. But though there may be no gain from reaping green in fine weather, and even some small loss of product, yet fine weather we almost never have through harvest-and it will be better to lose five per cent. by reaping green (admitting such a loss to be certain,) than to save it by maturing, and then to lose far more from bad weather occurring while the wheat is standing in the field. This, I think, is the proper view of the subject, and the proper mode of instituting a comparison of the products. If we could be sure of having dry weather, I entertain no doubt of the propriety and economy of not reaping until both grain and straw are ripe. But with the strong probability of more or less of rain-and the possibility of a long spell of it-I am as sure that a great saving will be found in reaping wheat as early as the state of the grain will permit. What that state is, has not been described very particularly, in any of the publications I have read; and This most wonderful specimen of the short-it is not unlikely that the uncertainty on this head horned breed was lately exhibited in York, and excited the astonishment and admiration of crowds of persons who went to see it. Its color is white -stands about seventeen hands high-measures three feet four inches across the loins-and weighs upwards of 260 stone. THE CASTLE HOWARD OX. From the British Farmers' Magazine. has caused some of the differences of opinion as to the propriety of the practice in general. I consider wheat fit for the scythe when the grain is in the dough state-no matter how soft, provided it is clear of milk, or when no fluid comes out separate from the dough, when the grain is mashed between the fingers. But no one square yard of wheat can be found, in which all the heads have ON REAPING WHEAT BEFORE THE GRAIN IS reached this state at one time: and, therefore, when HARD. For the Farmers' Register. not more than one-tenth part of the grains contain milk, I think it safe to begin to reap. There will be some loss in the quantity of all the milky grains, There have been published at different times (though no injury to the quality of the sample in various and opposite facts and opinions with re-general,) but less than would be usually found by gard to the propriety of reaping wheat before the waiting long enough for every grain to be free of grain is hard. In the agricultural journals both of milk. If the Mountain Purple Straw is the kind Europe and the United States, reaping green has made (which has generally formed the greater been announced by different persons as an im- part or the whole of my crop) it may be easily portant discovery, and as if the practice was alto-known by the purple tinge on the stalk, when the gether new to the reporter and to his readers in grain has reached the dough state. general. To meet these statements, there have As I place the advantage of reaping green on been others presented, of experiments conducted the greater certainty of avoiding the effects of apparently with much care and accuracy, of the bad weather, it may be inferred that the expecomparative value of grain reaped ripe and green, rience of several years would be required to make and the results of which showed a certain loss in a correct decision. I began this practice in 1821, the latter practice. Each of these various state- and have never since failed to begin harvest as ments, so far as I know, stands alone, and is not soon as enough wheat was fully in the dough state, except in those years, when the pressure out the rain, if he had waited to reap ripe. But of other farm business made it necessary to let the to him whose wheat was dead ripe, having his wheat wait some days longer. If, therefore, reaping suspended for a few days is a most serious this opinion is held by me improperly, it is not for damage. Even if no grain is actually sprouted, want of experience, but for want of judgment. every wetting and drying after it is ripe, is injuThe universal practice in my neighborhood be- rious to its quality. Besides this, no field can be fore 1821, was to wait for the grain to be hard; reaped as easily, and as effectually, after as before and if there was any doubt of the straw being rain. Heavy wheat is lodged, and sometimes lost perfectly sapless and dry, the wheat was left on completely: and the stalks on the lightest and the ground, without binding, for one or two days, poorest land bend in curves, and in every direction, to be dry enough to stack. My green reaping, so as to render it impossible to be saved well when when first commenced, was fully nine days earlier reaped. than was usual-and it was pronounced then that Now to consider the objections to reaping green. I was destroying my crop, by reaping it so green. I have admitted that there must be a loss, from My practice is still condemned by many, who, shrinking, in every grain having any of the milk however, have gradually and perhaps unconscious-remaining, and a general loss on the whole crop, ly, advanced the commencements of their har- on the supposition that a proportion will be in the vests, until they are not more than two or three milky state. But, (though it would be difficult to days behind mine. test it by fair experiment,) I do not believe that The first year of my early reaping was most any thing is lost in either the weight or bulk of fortunately chosen. After weather generally fine grain cut in the dough state. There is loss of launtil the latter part of June, there began the long- bor however, (that is, if the weather continues est spell of rainy weather that I ever knew at that dry,) and there is risk of loss, from putting the time of the year. The rain fell more or less for sheaves into shocks or stacks before their being seven days in succession, without enough sun- perfectly cured. Green wheat may be made up shine (if any) during the time to dry the wheat at into small sheaves, (the band being a single any one time. I did not keep a farm journal that length of the straw,) as fast as it is cut down: but year, as was my general practice, but noted the straw will shrink so much on drying, that the these circumstances before the next harvest, while bands will be apt to become loose, and many of they were fresh in my memory. I did not there the sheaves to fall to pieces. If the binders are state, and do not remember, the date of the begin-kept half a day behind the reapers, that objection ning of my reaping in 1821; but the whole was finished, and the last reaped was shocked, just before the long spell of rain began. It had rained gently one day only during my harvest; and a piece of thin wheat, of about 25 acres, had been cut down on that day, and still remained open on the ground. So much of this had sprouted before the rains ceased, and so much on the tops of the shocks throughout the crop, that I estimated my loss at one-tenth of the whole. But that loss was small indeed compared to that of my neighbors, and of lower Virginia generally. Some had not begun to reap but few had been as many as three days in harvest, when the spell of rain commenced-and scarcely any wheat had been put up in shocks, or secured otherwise. The wheat left standing was so bent down, as not to be tolerably saved, besides being greatly damaged in quality; and what was on the ground was mostly sprouted. My notes state as the supposed estimate of general loss through our part of the country, from onehalf to two-thirds of the crop. Some good managers, and many bad ones, did not make as much wheat as they had sowed, and that of such bad quality, as to be unfit to sow again. Indeed the destruction of wheat was so general, and so little was left good enough for seed, that it caused many who were before hesitating about such a change of crops on light soils, to abandon wheat entirely, and take cotton instead, as their principal crop for market. will be obviated: but others will be presented in the loss of labor when the reapers and binders are thus separated, and the exposure of a greater quantity of wheat, after its being reaped, to rain, But it should also be considered, that green wheat is less hurt when caught by rain, than the perfectly ripe would be. If the wheat is sheaved when too green to put into shocks, it should be put up in "stooks" of about six sheaves each, by setting the stubble ends of the sheaves far enough apart to give sufficient base, and letting the heads of all the sheaves lean together so as to form a point. These stooks are easily made, will throw off a light rain, and will dry as they stand, if made wet by heavy rain. I have had such stooks to be wet and dry repeatedly before the wheat could be put into shockswithout any more injury than would have been sustained if the wheat had been standing. But this was of the purple straw kind. Before I knew the difference, I permitted some white wheat to go through the same treatment, and found much of it sprouted by rain in the stooks. As to the quality of the grain, for making flour, I believe it is generally conceded that the wheat reaped green is best. What is the extent of the gradual advancement of the usual time of reaping, I cannot state, though aided by written memoranda of my own farm business for most of the years of the last twenty. Many of those who have never noted such things, are The saving made that year by early reaping not aware that they now venture to reap in a state was enough to pay for all the loss to be incurred of greenness which they would have thought very by that plan in twenty years: and though such a hazardous formerly. I remember well that fifteen spell of weather may not occur in a long life, there years ago, our festival of the 4th of July always is scarcely any year in which more or less is not came in harvest, and that no one finished reaping lost by rain compelling wheat to stand (or to lie,) | before that time, unless he had sowed early wheat, too long in the field. When rain stops the reap-and had a very small crop. In 1819, I began to reap ing of green wheat for three or four days, the on June 23d, (golden chaff wheat,) and the entry farmer is left just where he would have been with- on the journal of that day states that the grain was 1818-June 25th. 1819" 23rd. 1822 8th. not quite hard. I suppose that time to have been expressed. They were in much the greatest numbers as early as any one would have ventured then. in woodland where the soil was stiff and close: and in The following are all the dates of the commence- all such places, every tree was supplied with loment of my harvests, which were recorded before custs in such numbers, that a traveller for miles togethmy change of practice, and for some years afterer could perceive no cessation, or change in the loud wards. but monotonous chorus kept up by their voices. These insects caused no injury. They were not much more than half as large as the common green and black locusts, (or dry flies, as vulgarly called,) which, in small numbers, appear here every summer. The color of the former was touched with a pale dingy red, instead of the green which the common locust has. The name applied to both these insects is doubtless incorrect, as both differ widely from the great plague of the earth in other regions, of which we are so fortunate as to know nothing in this country, except by report. 1823- "13th. 1824 11th. 1825" 10th. 1826" 12th.--and might have been begun 5 1828" 12th. There is so much difference in these dates, added to my recollection of our late harvests in general, formerly, that I am somewhat tempted to think that there has been an increase of average temperature, as well as of change of practice in reaping. But if that was the case, so important a fact could not have escaped the notice of the many curious and particular observers of the changes of temperature, as indicated by the thermometer. E. R. REMARKABLE HABITS OF THE AMERICAN LO- There is too much of the marvellous in the regularly returning visits of our locusts for the statement to be altogether credited, though it has been stated in several publications besides that quoted above. But at any rate, there must be enough in the habits of these insects, that is both true and strange, to excite curiosity, and invite attempts at investigation.] HARDENING OF IRON. From the Southern Planter. Dr. Bartlett-It may be considered presumption in me to attempt to give directions to a blacksmith how to temper a tool when he has made it. If I cannot teach a blacksmith I can tell a farmer how to avoid imposition.-I have noticed for several years that ploughs made and tempered by some smiths would last twice as long as the same kind made by others--this is owing to the manner There is no longer any doubt that these singu- necessary is to give it a thorough heating and of tempering. In tempering a plough, all that is lar insects are to make their usual periodical ap-cool it quick. In order to cool quick, it is necessapearance the present season. They are already ry to have plenty of water, and that of a good easily to be found, at the depth of six or seven inches, in gardens, and especially in orchards, un-weighs 8 or 10 pounds in two or three gallons of quality. To undertake to cool a plough that der old trees. By skimming off the surface of the water, is absurd; more especially if that water has earth, thousands of holes are perceptible, where been heated a great many times. they have been penetrating to the surface, in order we presume, that their way may not be obstructed on their day of general resurrection. An old gentleman of this place, informs us that his father kept particular note of their appearance in four instances, and that he himself has followed it From Waldie's Journal of Belles Letters. up, and preserved observations, also, in four in- In Chile, butter is packed in sheep skins, wh stances-and that they have uniformly appeared the wool side out, and would be very good, every seventeen years; but what is singularly strik-spite of appearances, were it not so much sale, ing, that in all these eight instances, they were found The operation of churning is performed by a to have a general resurrection day, which has re-donque [an ass;] the cream is put into large gourds, gularly occurred on the 25th May. He further or dry skins, placed on his back, and then die says, that two or three days previously, a few animal is kept trotting round the yard till the bit make their appearance, as a reconnoitering party; ter is made. In this art they seem not to have a ibut on the 25th, the whole country is deluged with vanced a single step since its discovery; for we are one interminable swarm.-Germantown Tel. Henry co. May 5th, 1834. WM. H. RAIFORD BUTTER MAKING IN CHILE. told that a countryman somewhere lost a large jug of cream, by carrying it for some distance a [If it is indeed true that there is so much regularity hard-trotting horse, which accident led to the inin the continuance of the dormant state of these insects, portant invention of churns and butter. A friend the time of their coming forth is not the same in differ- told me, that he had presented, some years ago. A Yankee churn to a family residing near the capiat, ent places. It was in 1829 that they appeared in pro-and taught them to use it. So long as it was a digious numbers in this county, (Prince George,) where they had not been observed before within the recollection of any person whose opinions we heard novelty they were pleased, but at the end of a tw weeks decided the donque made butter just as veli and consequently threw it aside! HORSE-TEAMS-FEEDING EXPENSES-LABOR. Regarding Horse Teams. It is a just observation, that one can hardly be at a loss to determine the character of a farmer Animal labor is an object of the deepest impor- from the condition of his horses*.' Very fine, tance, both to the public and to those individuals high-fed cattle, exhibiting the appearance of being who employ it: to the former, inasmuch as the prepared for sale, rather suggests the idea of idleamount of food thus consumed is so much ab-ness than of labor; but, on the other hand, lean, stracted from the general means of subsistence; spiritless creatures, worn out by toil and hunger, and to the latter, as the value of its employment are the certain indications of a bad farmer; of one consists in the proportion of its cost to its power. not thriving and who does not deserve to thrive. It is, therefore, in every point of view, desirable The man who employs bad instruments cannot to economize it, so far as may be consistent with have his work well done, and one important and its efficient use, both through the saving of the previous step towards good farming, is to keep the labor and the feeding of the cattle by which it is laboring stock in good condition. Horses regularly performed; but to these considerations must be fed, and regularly wrought, will perform a great added a due regard both to the effectual perform- deal of work without falling off either in strength ance of the work, and to the sufficient support of or appearance: it is, therefore, of great importance the animal. Less has been done for the farmer to distribute the labor as equally as possible through than for the manufacturer, in the improvement of the various seasons of the year: and to take care machinery, and unless the power of the steam-that if, as must sometimes be the case, an extraengine should at some future period be applied to ordinary exertion is to be made, they are in the the plough, he must still be dependent for the proper order to make it. When once allowed to production of his crops upon the labor of cattle, fall off, it requires much more to restore them, than which absorbs so large a portion of his profits, that might have kept them in a good state. he cannot be too careful of this branch of his expenditure. In this, however, as in the regulation of manual labor, true economy lies more in duly apportioning the strength of the teams to the work to be performed, than in any mere saving of expense; and there is no part of a farmer's business that demands a sounder exercise of judgment than the selection and mangement of his working stock. The feeding of farm horses forms so material a part of the charges on agriculture, that the manner in which they can be cheapest maintained is a matter deserving the most serious attention. It is an established principle, that animal power can only be exerted in proportion to the quality, as well as the quantity, of the food with which it is sustained. In conformity with that rule, hay and oats, or beans, given in their natural state, were It is usually considered that one team, if well long considered as the only horse provender poskept, is sufficient for the cultivation of from 40 to sessed of the requisite degree of nutriment, and in 50 acres of heavy land, and from 50 to 60 acres of consequence of its cost, penurious farmers stinted lighter soil, under common rotations; but the their horses, or those of an opposite disposition, strength of that team depends so much upon the who 'indulge in the pride of teams,' were put to breed and condition of the animals, as well as upon very great expense. Experience, however, has soil and culture, that this is subject to much va- proved that substitutes may be used to a very conriation. Some tenacious clays cannot be worked siderable extent, without injury to the animal itself, with less than four strong horses, or even more, or diminution of its strength; and that different on breaking them up; while a free loam may gen-modes of preparing its ordinary food may be adopterally be managed with a pair and whip-reins; and ed with advantage. a course of constant tillage necessarily requires a The vegetables most commonly resorted to as greater number of ploughs than when a large substitutes for corn and hay, are potatoes, turnips, portion of the land is allowed to rest for some carrots, parsnips, and mangel-wurzel, with straw, years under grass.* Teams should never be be- and the haulm of beans and peas. Among these low the work to be executed: every such apparent the potato ranks foremost, both in quality and in saving will turn out a real loss to those who at- being more commonly cultivated than either partempt it, and even a supernumerary horse, for snips or carrots; but it is attended with the inconcases of emergency, will seldom be found bad eco-venience of requiring to be boiled, or steamed, as nomy. The great point is neither to be above nor below the mark: no example need be adduced to v, that if too little power be employed, the must be imperfectly done; and that if too h, a portion of it must be thrown away; nor, ough working-cattle should not be pampered, necessary to prove the truth of the old saying, they won't pay for feeding, they won't pay for arving.' its juice has been found prejudicial, and in some cases even fatal, to horses, when given raw, and both it and the yam, which has lately been much employed for the same purpose, are apt to ferment in the stomach, and occasion dangerous colic, when used in a crude state. Of turnips, the Swedish is the only one that can be recommended to be given alone, though the common kinds may be advantageously mixed with potatoes; but, when given in that manner, they should be boiled sepain the report of the Morvich and Culmaily farms rately, in order to preserve their juice, which if not mer's Series, No. 18,) consisting of 650 acres of given to the horses, will be found serviceable for e land, it is stated that the whole work is perform-store cattle and pigs. Carrots are much relished 7 seven pairs of horses, including one pair of by all cattle, and when combined with dry food, 3 in foal, and one pair of young horses, thrown off have a most perceptible effect upon the horse's ass during summer: but the rotation on the greater coat, soon imparting to it that glossy appearance s,—1st turnips; 2d barley; 3d, 4th, and 5th, grass; which is one of the best tests of condition, and th, oats: on the remainder, 1st rape and naked w; 2d wheat; 3d and 4th, grass; and 5th, oats; or y one-half in grass. * E. Lothian Survey, p. 197, |