bow and the tomahawk, use the axe, the mattock, and the rifle. clemency of winter. "De Candolle has proved | holders, musquitoes, snakes, minks, and muskby a simple experiment, that in such a case as rats. Their title is merely possessory, and not this, the fluid consumed by the young leaves is better than that of the native Indians. Vattel really attracted from out of the cold earth, and not held, and his dogma has been received by many absorbed from the atmosphere of the hot-house. of our practical jurists, that savage nations who Having selected a young tree with two principal mix no labor with the soil, but depend upon the branches, and two principal roots corresponding to spontaneous fruits of the earth, and the beasts of the them, and adapted to each root a bottle of water, forests, to supply their wants, may be justly exhe found that the bottle attached to the root cor-pelled by a more thrifty race, who, instead of the responding to the branch which had been introduced into the hot-house was quickly emptied, while that attached to the root corresponding to the branch in the open air remained nearly full. It may be supposed that in a natural state of things, some effect is produced upon the roots by the warmth of the soil; but it is doubtful whether this amounts to much if indeed it is of any importance; for provided only the earth is not frozen, it appears from experiments, that heat applied to the branches alone, is quite sufficient to determine and maintain all the phenomena of growth. Many of my acquaintances have gone to the west and south, in pursuit of fortune. I have a strong and abiding affection for my native state, where our fathers lived in peace, and in honor, and where in the rare instances in which injury was punished by requital, the manner in which it was conducted lessened the horrors of the act. In addition to my local attachments, in my youth I had a strong objection to having my head disfigured by an Indian tomahawk, and in more mature age I should feel equal reluctance to receive a gentle squeeze from Judge Lynch. Besides the influence which light and heat may exert in effecting the elaboration of the sap, there is much which in the present state of our know- To reclaim our marshes has long been with me ledge, we are obliged to ascribe to the immediate a favorite project. If my memory serves me, Swift agency of the vital principle. What peculiarity was contemporary with Marlborough, Bolingbroke, there may be in the structure of one cellule which Harley and Wharton, distinguished patriots of determines it to secrete resin, whilst another by its that day; and yet he, who had weighed and measide secretes an acid-or whether it is any thing sured these illustrious men, and many others of in the structure of the cellule which determines equal merit but of lesser note, gave it as his opithe result, are questions which we cannot solve. nion, that he who should cause two blades of grass The most careful microscopic observations have to grow, where but one grew before, rendered more discovered to us no difference in structure, and dis- service to mankind than the whole race of politiclosed no peculiarities in operation. In such cir- cians. Now if my poor counsels should prevail, cumstances, all that we can say is, that they ap- and call up a spirit of improvement by which timopear to be produced under the immediate agency thy and herds grass should be made to grow where of the vital principle; or perhaps we would come flags and rushes grew before, I think in justice I nearer to a simple statement of facts, and our state- may claim to be preferred to subtreasurists, bankment would be less liable to objection, should we ites, and conservatives; the goodness of whose say, that they take place while the plant is alive, intentions it would be uncharitable to doubt, as and cease the moment that it dies. It must be they all declare that their great object is to proconfessed that this is but a poor apology for an ex-mote the general welfare, by giving the people a planation; and yet it is, in fact, all that is known respecting the matter. There are many things in the structure and vital action of plants, which, with all our knowledge of nature, we cannot fully explain. (To be continued.) ADVANTAGES OF EMBANKING THE TIDE MARSHES OF MARYLAND. sound unfluctuating currency. It is deeply to be regretted that men who desire to do right should so widely differ as to the means. It appears from the Register that your theory is, that the marshes of the Chesapeake, consisting of vegetable matter, upon being ditched and dried, would rot away. The earth I believe is the foundation of all vegetable growth, of which from the tides, and the floods, there is a regular accretion. I have lived long enough to have seen parts of marshes without the aid of art reclaimed from the tide, and produce the grasses of the upland. It is certainly true that a large portion of our marshes, like those Improvement in the agriculture of this section of of eastern Virginia, consist of decayed vegetables, country is now gradually advancing; many marl mixed with earth; but I have learned from respectabanks have been opened, and worked, though not ble authority, that some marshes on the Delaware, with steady perseverance; kilns of oyster shells in character like ours, upon being ditched, dried and have been burnt and strewed, and in some few in-sown in herds grass, become firm and cohesive, stances stone lime has been imported, the profits of which, when the cost is calculated, I deem a little doubtful. For the Farmers' Register. and produce excellent crops; this grass by its tenacious roots forms a strong turf, which affords protection against the sun, and frost, and perhaps if The extensive marshes in our tide-water dis- Mr. H. Carter, instead of cultivating his reclaimed trict, in their present condition, form the princi- grounds for seven successive years in Indian corn, pal impediment to rapid improvement. It is there (thereby exposing them naked to the sun and frost,) that malaria, that frightful scourge of our native had laid them down in herds grass, he would have population, and the terror of strangers, is con-experienced a different and more beneficial result. cocted. By reclaiming our low grounds, we should By a communication to the Register a year ago, greatly improve the health of our country, increase I learned that the marshes of Lincolnshire, and its wealth, and expel the present troublesome the fens of Romney, have been reclaimed by the come into our country; this supply of free labor EARTH WORMS-MOULD. From the Genesee Farmer. The increasing number of earth worms (lumbricus terrestris) in the cultivated parts of our country, has drawn the attention of many farmers means of wind mills. This is certainly a most by the smell of fine sweet hay, which they love beneficial application of the wind; and I appre-almost as much as the smack of whiskey, would hend the same means would produce the same result in the marshes of the Pocomoke, Nanticoke, and Choptank. Maryland is a state small in extent, and limited in means, but her projects are vast, and her views magnificent. By internal improvements she calculates to secure the entire trade of the Susquehanna, a large portion of the Ohio and Mississippi, and to divide with New York and Quebec the riches of the western lakes. Maryland has stated her credit for many millions on canals, and rail-roads, and i would well become her fostering genius to expand her wings, and to apply a few hundred thousands to reclaim her waste marshes. Many of them are still vacant, and the state holds the title; those which have been granted, she might appropriate to herself, by condemnation. When the work was accomplished, and these now barren wastes are set in timothy and herds grass, the state could sell them out at a heavy advance, which would not only pay the costs of to the subject, and elicited some inquiries as to the wind mills and ditches, but would leave a the effect of their presence in such numbers in heavy profit to the state. This is not a scheme soils that are cropped. The opinion of some of mere total profit, but of general utility; the seems to be, that while they confine themselves western shore would feel the benefits, which would to the soil, they are harmless, if not actually benperhaps extend to Philadelphia, and New York; eficial. Loudon says that this worm, "unless exthousands of fat bullocks would be brought into isting in great numbers in a single place, cannot market, from lands which are now worse than use-be ranked among injurious animals, notwithstanless. The odious monopoly of western graziers, ding the prejudices of farmers and gardeners against (which I much fear the patriot butchers of Balti-them. Without worms, the earth would soon more will be unable to dissolve,) would be at an become hard, cold, incapable of receiving moisend, and the Baltimorian would eat beef of very ture, or of giving nourishment to roots. They superior quality at low rates. Eastern shore men are, in fact, the great promoters of vegetation, by know, though western shore men do not, that cat-boring, perforating, and loosening the soil beneath, tle, which can eat salt and fresh grass, and drink and by manuring it above with their excrement, salt and water, at pleasure, fatten quicker and which is thrown up into lumps called worm casts.” make viands more savory, than those of the high It is to this latter process, the throwing upon the country, where salt is dealt out with a parsimo-surface of these casts, or excrementitious matters, nious hand. Salt in its congelation, either by the as they are supposed to be, that some modern wripower of the sun or fire, contracts impurities of ters have attributed the formation of mould, or that which it is clear in its aquous state; and pure sus- part of the earth which is of the most value in tenance is as necessary to the health of of a beast supporting vegetation. as to a man. The principal sanative ingredient Mr. C. Darwin, F. G. S., in a paper read bein the waters of the Saratoga spring is salt, which fore the London Society in 1837, was the first, we has never been successfully imparted to medicated believe, to reduce this theory to a form, by an exwaters. It is for these causes that Governor Ste-planation of the manner in which this worm is vens' sheep are the crack of the Baltimore mar- supposed to produce the results attributed to it. ket, and so much preferred by the epicures to His attention was called to an examination of the these raised on Elkridge, and Big Pipe creek. To process by finding that some fields over which this another important consideration may be super-lime and cinders had been spread on grass land, added; Maryland holds a deep stake in the Eastern Shore Rail-Road, which she increased last session, and which she will probably continue to increase, until it shall be finished, as the private stockholders, either for want of faith, or want of This layer (of cinders and lime) was in some funds, commit heavy forfeitures, and if peradven-places so continuous, that the superficial mould was ture when the road is finished, the great communi- only attached to the red clay subsoil by the longer cation between the north and the south, should roots of the grass.' take another direction, the loss might be compen- "On carefully examining between the blades of sated by taking fit beeves to market in the cars. grass, in the fields above mentioned, the author They would arrive in Baltimore fresh and unjaded, found that there was scarcely a space of two inches and in fine killing condition, and the risk of being square, without a little heap of the cylindrical castdrowned, or blown up from steamboats entirelyings of worms. It is well known that worms avoided. If our salt marshes were reclaimed, and set in timothy and herds grass, the Eastern Shore of Maryland for its extent of territory would become the most valuable in the United States; the hardy Germans, the laborious Dutchmen, and the sturdy Irish, who now go trooping to the west, attracted and which had never been ploughed, were found, after intervals of twelve or fifteen years, to have these coarse materials covered with mould to the depth of three inches. swallow earthy matter, and that having separated the serviceable portion, they eject the remainder at the mouth of their burrows." With all deference to the opinions of Messrs. Loudon and Darwin, we are disposed to dissent from both, and believe that the earth worm is more or less injurious, according to its numbers; and that the agency it has in the production of mould is very limited, if indeed it is sensibly felt at all. well, and thus free himself for a time from the nuisance. Where they appear in such numbers, close curbing and banking is required to shut them out. We imagine the opinions of practical farmers and gardeners in matters that belong purely to Quick lime would undoubtedly destroy them, observation and fact, are entitled to great respect, could it be applied to them in that state; but enhowever unable they may be to give reasons or sconsed in their burrows, lime spread on the surphilosophize on such facts. Now we have never face does not reach them. Perhaps applying it known a farmer or gardener that did not consider pretty liberally along the walks of a garden, or the earth worm a nuisance; and scarcely one that between the rows of plants, after a shower, and did not think that they were exhausters of the while the worms were on the surface, might kill nutritive qualities of the soil in which they abound. some of them; but probably the most effectual That they bring earth to the surface cannot be remedy will be ploughing so late that the ground denied, but that such earth is rendered more valu- will freeze hard immediately after the work is done; able by being divested of its nutritive qualities (or and using no manure that has not been piled and 'serviceable portion' of Mr. D.) in its passage heated by fermentation to such a degree as to dethrough the worm, may well be questioned. No-stroy what worms and eggs may be existing in the thing, it seems, is added to the earth; the matter mass. on which the worm subsists is taken from it; and ADA, BY A LADY. from the circumstances in which the worm is found, SILK CULTURE COMMENCED IN UPPER CANand propagates in the greatest numbers, it seems plain, that the parts of the soil the most essential to plants, are precisely those on which the worm exists. We have no evidence that the worm is injurious by attacking or feeding on the roots of plants; the injury is effected by diverting from them the nourishment they would otherwise receive. Different kinds of vitality cannot well exist in the vicinity of each other; it is a law of nature, that the weaker and less perfectly organized, must give way to that which is higher in the scale, and hence the roots of plants are illy fitted to contend with the more voracious lumbricus. By the following letter it will be perceived that the silk culture has reached Canada, and has found, at least, one active and efficient practical advocate. We wish there were many such,—and from the zeal manifested by the lady writer, we have no doubt that we shall, ere long, be gratified with the intelligence, that others, are following the example of our fair pioneer, in this laudable enterprise. Should the Canadas become a silk growing country, (and we see no reason why they may not,) this lady will have the proud satisfaction of being the prime mover, and patroness of this elegant and useful production, and her fellow citizens must unanimously pronounce, that she "has deserved ."-Ed. S. C. well of her adopted country." We are equally skeptical, as to the alleged fact of our being indebted to the earth worm for the mould with which the face of the earth is covered. We think such is not the case, because no where is the richest mould more plentiful than in places St. Thomas, U. C. May 6th, 1839. where an earth worm was never known to exist. F. G. COMSTOCK, ESQ.-Sir:-From the New countries are notoriously destitute of earth interest you feel in the culture of silk, and the pains worms. Every one who remembers the original you take to diffuse knowledge in every branch of soil of this country when the forest were first re-it throughout the United States, I presume you moved, will recollect the abundance of mould, and will not be entirely indifferent to a solitary experthe total absence, except in some few places, of iment in Upper Canada. Frigidity seems to be the earth worm. We loved to fish in those boy-associated with the very name of Canada-even ish days, (we have not entirely lost the relish yet,) Canadians themselves imagine that the climate and well remember the difficulties we were com- north of the lakes is not congenial to the mulberry pelled to encounter in procuring worms for bait. tree, except the black, of which there are fine trees They then existed only in little miry spring spots in the forest, which are transplanted for the fruit. near the lakes, and old, black looking, antedilu- Five years since, I sowed the first seed, (I supvian fellows they were. They first began to make pose,) that was ever deposited in Canadian soil, in their appearance some ten years after the settle- full faith, that it would do well. I offered seed to ment of the country, around barns, and in yards others, and assured them, that where Indian corn where manure and animal matter kept the earth would grow, that the mulberry would, (and more rich and moist, and they have now in some places plentiful crops I have never seen in any part of the taken possession in millions of our lowlands, gar- United States I have been in, than are here prodens, &c. Places heavily manured are the most duced,) and that if the culture of silk could be infested by them, as the young worms, or the ova, made a profitable business in Vermont and Maine, are brought with the manure applied. Instances it certainly could here; but one person only, has are recorded in this journal, in which these worms been induced to sow the seed, and he has a fine have so accumulated around houses and in wells, nursery of fourteen or fifteen thousand trees, from as to render the water unfit for usc. Their pre- seed planted two years ago. The profit was no sence in wells is to be accounted for from the ha- object with me, my premises being too circumscribits of the animal. When there has been a sum-bed to realize any thing in that way. Last summer shower towards evening, as soon as it is dusk mer, I had the satisfaction of demonstrating that the worms issue from their burrows, throwing up both the climate and soil of Upper Canada are numerous casts in clearing their holes from the congenial to the culture of silk, and the pleawashings of the rain, and creep in every direction sure of exhibiting to all who had the curiosity over the surface. Penetrating every opening to call, the first silk-worms reared and the first where moisture exists, the well serves as a trap silk made, from the first mulberry trees cultifor them, and in such openings they accumulate vated in either of the provinces; and feel mytill necessity compels the owner to clear out his self amply paid for time and cost, in having been ANNOUNCED. From the Maine Farmer. Gigantic Clover.-A late number of the London Globe, contains the following account of a new species of clover, the seed of which has just been brought into that country from Asia: able to do it. Resolved to serve a thorough appren- | THE NEWEST AND GREATEST HUMBUG YET ticeship, I superintended the cultivation of the mulberry, and devoted all my time to the worms, guided entirely by the directions in your valuable paper, and Mr. Cobb's Manual, having never seen any thing of the business. The woms were as large as are described, and perfectly healthful, of which I had 2000, and between 200 and 300; not more than 10 or 12 died, and those during the last moulting. The silk is strong and of a fine lustre. The worms commenced their labors on the 28th day, and on the 31st, ten cocoons were formed. The thermometer during the time of their existence, except two nights, was between 70 and 80° hanging in the house.-St. Thomas is in Lat. 4210 and 8." Should the plan succeed in England, and of which there can be but little doubt, it will form a new era, by rendering this country independent of foreign supplies of clover seed. It is fortunate that it has arrived in time to be tried this year. It must be sown in April. It is said that each grain will produce 300,000 seeds." "A gentleman has just arrived from Georgia, who has brought with him a new collossal and prolific clover seed from Buckhara, which he is going to submit to Mr. Loudon. According to the accounts of the most celebrated travellers, who have visited that distant and important country, which is equal in climate to Great Britan, all grains, herbs and vegetables distinguish themselves Apprehending I had too great a number of by their gigantic growth. The clover seed just worms for the foliage, I did not very closely exam-imported, grows to the enormous height of twelve ine the litter, and had it thrown upon the hedge; or fifteen feet, and can be cut every month: But between 20 and 30 worms were discovered there, this is not the only valuable property of this most which grew even faster than those in the house, extraordinary production of the vegetable kinguntil they had attained half their size, when they, dom. Out of the stem a hemp is prepared, which one after another, disappeared, till they were all is so highly esteemed in the distant region of gone except two, which grew larger than those in of which it is a native, that preference is given to the house, and had begun to form a cocoon, but it over all other sorts. the next morning both were gone; they were carried off, I suppose, by birds, as no dead ones were ever found. I have been thus circumstantial, that if any one else should be induced to attempt the culture of silk in this province, and apply to you, sir, for your opinion of success, to furnish you with information of one successful instance. At present, the public mind is too much occupied with warlike turmoils, to take any interest We advise the humbug dealers of this counin this new branch of rural economy, but I think try, such as have originated the selling of "Chithere are some individuals, whose skepticism is nese tree corn," for charity, and are selling mulremoved and who will undertake it. I have already given you a longer communica- ticaulis seed, &c. &c., to hasten by all means tion than I intended, yet I am desirous of inform-to possess themselves some of these wonderful ing you of the management of a part of my hedge, the exact manner of which, I have not seen in the Culturist, and may possibly be of use. Two years ago, I employed an English gardener, to transplant some seedlings to complete the hedge around the premises; he suggested to me that setting them in the same way they practised in England with the thorn, would be the best way to cultivate the mulberry; and I directed him to set a part of the plants in that manner, which so far exceeded the others, in rapid growth and luxuriance, I regret the whole had not been done in the same way. He says, they ought to have been cut off last spring within about 3 or 4 inches of the roots, which I have had done this. He first threw the earth up with a spade, as the beds are for garden vegetables, about six inches, and laid the plants horzontally six inches apart, and covered them ADVANTAGE of late soWING OF BEARDED with 7 or 8 inches of mould, and then put down another layer between the first plants, and covered then about 8 or 9 inches deep. I am happy to hear of the progress of the silk culture in the U. S., and feel a peculiar interest in the success of my own native state, Massachusetts, and should be much pleased to see the Canadians engaged in the same business, and imitating the zeal and enterprise of their translake neighbors. Most respectfully, Sir, Your most obedient, BETSY M. BOSTWICK. Leaving one bud on the edge uncovered. clover seeds; or, if that cannot be done, to call some other seeds by the same name, which will perhaps serve as well-especially if they should be carefully baked, or otherwise sufficiently heated, before being sold, to prevent the purchasers being disappointed in the character of the product. But whether baked or raw, they should of course be sold without any guaranty of the character or vi tality-and for at least as high a price as two-crop mammoth silk-worms eggs-or otherwise we doubt much whether the greatest demand will be secured. WHEAT. To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. Madison, June 21st, 1839. Having uniformly failed in the culture of bearded wheat, without knowing at the time the cause, and knowing that many others have been as unsuccessful as myself, I have determined to assign what is said (and what I believe) to be the cause. It is early seeding. When I commenced farming some six or seven years ago, I was induced to sow twenty bushels of this wheat, which in consequence of being on wet land, was sown as early as the 10th or 12th of October. Its appearance in the fall and early | I have no cellar,) and if brought at evening they in the spring was beautiful; but it quickly declined, were put out on the grass in the yard for the dew and I do not think that I reaped twenty bushels. to fall on them to keep them moist; and with these On the contrary, a friend of mine sowed a lot of wet leaves the worms were fed four times a day, four or five acres last year, which was sceded some as much as they would consume; and out of a lot time in December, which is now the finest crop of 10,000 I am confident that I did not lose more of bearded wheat I ever saw, although it did not than fifty, save some that got injured by moving come up until this spring. them about; for I had no fixtures at all for them except some boards. About 5000 of these worms, however, had been half raised before I got them; but when they came to me they shared the same fare with the others I had, of the same age, but considerably larger, and spun something earlier. Finding that the worms appeared to eat thore greedily the moist leaves, I continued to moisten them and keep them so, and I never saw worms grow faster, or do better. Upon inquiry I find that our neighborhood furnishes other instances of its successful culture when sown late; when upon the old system of early sowing an abundant crop of disappointment was the farmer's only return. I feel confident, Mr. Editor, that the above fact will be well known to many farmers, but still there are many to whom it will not be, to whom it will be important, as almost every farm has some land upon it, which yields no other wheat crop worthy of the farmer's åttention. QUINTUS BArtow. N. B. For fear that some may be misled with regard to the time of sowing (as December is mentioned above) I must say that from the 1st to the 10th of November is with us preferred. SILK-WORMS FED ON WET LEAVES. Last year I raised sixty worms only; and from a few days after hatching, they did not know Whilst on this subject, I will suggest to your what a dry leaf was, and they did remarkably well. subscribers the propriety of a free interchange of In fact, the leaves, for this small parcel, for longer ideas on agricultural subjects. Most farmers seem preservation, were kept sunk in water, and merely tó forget that there are constant additions to our shaken well when about to be used. Of these agricultural ranks of those whose previous occupa-worms, only one was lost (being killed by falling,) tions have debarred them from that experience and the other 59 spun good cocoons, and furnished which is necessary to insure success, and that this as many moths. Of these 12 only were females; deficiency can only be supplied by the experience out of their product I had this year between 3000 of others, disseminated through our agricultura! and 4000 worms. I did not pay as much attention journals. It is this which gives an importance to to them as I did to the lot of 10000, in keeping many seeming unimportant facts, as the relief them as well fed and cleaned; and out of this lot which many a novice has gained, when in trouble, I lost about 100, (that died,) but I do not think will abundantly attest. more; I do not attribute the loss of this 100 to the wet food, but to the filthy state I let them get into; they were not changed from the old hurdles or cleaned off for nearly three weeks. Had the same pains been taken with the last as with the first lot, it is my candid opinion not one would have been lost from disease. The cocoons were firm and good, (better than those exhibited here by Mr. Gay as the best quality of northern cocoons,) bat were smaller than the others, orange-colored, from the gray worms. These are white worms, and the cocoons of pale straw color: I am now feeding a few from the second hatching this year, I have noticed for some past every thing written and I make it a point every time they are led to on the subject of feeding and raising silk-worms, wet the leaves, this I do to test the thing thoroughthat I could come across; and I believe the prac-ly; they are doing very well as yet, though they tice of feeding worms on wet leaves has been universally condemned; but in defiance of all the reasoning on the subject, and the condemnation of wet food, I have followed it, so far at least, with great success. I have never raised a great many worms it is true, but it may be supposed, what would affect a large number ought to affect a small númber. I will give you the manner in which mine were fed, and you can exercise your own pleasure about believing what I state, though if [Mr. Archer is mistaken in supposing that feednecessary I can bring ample testimony to establish every word I say. I do not wish to be understood, ing with wet leaves has been universally conhowever, as recommending wet food as the best demned-though the practice has been tried by for silk-worms; but my opinion is, that wet leaves, but very few persons, and still fewer have reported occasionally, when it cannot be avoided, does no favorably. Among these few, though not in the injury to them; as, for instance, in the long season Farmer's Register, is our correspondent, T. S. in May, such as we had this year, my worms did not suffer at all that I could observe, from compar- Pleasants, who this spring fed part of his first ing them with others, where a good deal of pains hatching on wet leaves, for experiment, and, like had been taken. I gathered leaves for my worms Mr. Archer, found no ill effect therefrom. But every day 'till I would have a sufficient quantity though not universally, the practice has been very left to pass over one or two days; and as soon as To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. are small, and they have not come to the most criti- Petersburg, July, 1839. Respectfully. A. L. ARCHER. they were brought home, if in the morning they generally and very strongly condemned, and cerwere sprinkled with water and laid in the shade, (fortainly by every author who has written directions VOL. VII-55 |