more southern latitudes, and which will require many years for their acclimation. Corn, which I raised from seed of the early Sioux from Maryland, was much damaged by our early frosts. From these facts I am led to infer that the Mediterranean, from its early maturity and hardy properties, must be a northern wheat, and has probably reached us through the waters of the Black sea. Our average crops of corn may be safely estimated at 30 bushels; yet 50, amongst our good farmers, is quite as common, and, under very favorable circumstances, even 80 bushels have been reached. Did our farmers generally take the time to chequer the ground, and give it the additional culture required by this process, the average product might be increased at least twenty per cent. The clover sod has the same effect of mulching above ground, in retaining moisture around the roots of the corn; and, with the aid of gypsum, has more than doubled the product of this grain. Nothing is so detrimental to corn as working it when wet, and it is never too dry for this purpose. The most economical way of feeding corn is to have it ground with the cob, and to give it raw to horses and cattle, and cook it for hogs. The cheapest pork I ever made was with boiled potatoes, mashed while hot, and mixed with one-third or one-half cob meal, scalded with the water in which the potatoes were boiled, and made into a thick slop, slightly salted, and well peppered with hickory ashes. By having two vessels, I kept the slop in a state of fermentation, which improves its fattening qualities very much. Oats. For this crop our corn stalks are turned down as early as possible in March or April, and sown at the rate of 2 bushels to the acre,. and harrowed in. The manure is strewn upon the oat stubble, and turned down to wheat, to be sown the following spring with clover. When we have two fields of corn, one of them should be sown after the last ploughing with clover. This is a much better course than to leave the ground so long fallow, as, without injuring the corn, it affords a couple of months of good pasture the following season before it is broken up for wheat. Oats are considered our most exhausting crop; but by means of manure the land is kept up to the proper tilth, and we gain an extra crop by it. The average yield of oats is from 40 to 50 bushels per acre. The earliest are generally the best, exceeding in weight the later sown. Rye, Barley, Peas, and Beans.-Small quantities of the first two of these grains are occasionally raised, but they do not hold a regular place in our system of rotation. Clover and Grasses.- Our wheat fields are sown in March with clover seed, at the rate of 4 quarts to the acre, followed by at least one peck of plaster as soon as the young clover is up. This application, in addition to the vigorous growth it promotes, is a protection from the effects of drought, so often fatal to the tender plants in May. Negligence in this respect has been often followed by a total failure of the clover crop. Of the ill consequences of such a failure, it would be difficult to form an estimate, as, in addition to the loss of hay and pasture, it deranges the whole routine of operations, and reduces the land, by compelling the farmer to stubble in the fields in which the clover had failed. Clover should be so thick as to cover the ground, to the exclusion of everything else. From the foregoing, it will appear that clover, with us, is mown but once, and pastured but one season-a rotation which requires more seed, but is a great improvement over the old system of cutting and pasturing the fields two seasons. Clover is not strictly biennial, but much of it dies out after once blossoming; and some years ago it was not an uncommon thing to see fields which had been well set with clover kept up for pasture until they were converted into a stiff, blue-grass sod. Clover, in combination with gypsum, has been the means of renovating our exhausted lands, and has proved to be, after long experience, superior in nutritive and fertilizing properties to every other fodder. In fields intended for mowing, many sow a mixture of timothy seed, which helps to keep the clover from lying down, and is thought to improve the hay for horses. It is better to sow the timothy the fall previous, immediately after the wheat has had its last harrowing, or after the drill, and, if possible, before rain. As soon as vegetation fairly commences in the spring, we sow about half a bushel of plaster to the acre upon the clover fields, both for hay and for pasture; and in June, when about one-half of the blossoms have turned brown, we make from the fields that are mown from one to two tons of hay, according to the season. As this kind of hay is, of all others, the most injured by rain after it is once dry, it is all important that it should be safely housed. The best grass for natural meadow, if not too wet, is timothy; if wet, red-top is highly recommended; but, in the latter case, it is better to underdrain. Natural meadow should never be ploughed unless it is desirable to convert it into upland. If it should become sod-bound, or the timothy runs out, the surface should be well torn with a heavy, sharp harrow, both ways, in September, and sowed with timothy seed, and in the spring with clover and gypsum, to be succeeded by a top-dressing of manure. As the clover dies out, the timothy takes its place, and becomes thicker and stronger than ever. Experience here is adverse to turning down green crops as fertilizers, and few, I believe, have repeated the experiment. In two instances in my own immediate neighborhood wherein heavy crops of clover were ploughed down in full bloom upon land of excellent quality, the immediate effect, at least, was highly pernicious, as evinced in an almost total failure of the succeeding crop of wheat. I am disposed to attribute this result to the mucilaginous and saccharine matter with which the plant in this state so much abounds, and which, by being buried in the ground and subjected to the united influence of heat and moisture, takes on the acetous fermentation, and thus becomes so detrimental to healthy vegetation. I do not say that such consequences always follow the ploughing down of green crops, for here experience would seem to be against me; and many circumstances-such as the state of the ground, temperature, rain, or drought-might combine to bring about or prevent such a result. Be this as it may, however, there can be nothing gained by the practice, as clover loses none of its fertilizing ingredients by drying; and hence we find that a heavy mat of dead clover, which has been trodden down by our cattle the previous season, is as good as a coat of manure; and for this reason the farmer whose staples are wheat and corn should not overstock his farm through the summer. A good rule is to keep no more than can be conveniently wintered. Our most thrifty farmers buy up a lot of poor bullocks from the West, in the spring, to feed through the winter; and by this means the heavy crops of straw, which would other wise be in a great measure lost, are passed through the stable for bedding, and, by the additions there acquired, are converted into rich mines of manure. The beef thus fattened always commands, in the spring, the highest prices. Root Crops. With the exception of Irish potatoes, root crops are not cultivated as food for stock, simply because corn is cheaper. If one of our farmers was asked why he did not grow sugar-beet or ruta-baga, he would most probably say that he could not spare the time; and such is the fact, as he well knows that he can raise a bushel of corn with less trouble than he could a bushel of the turnip or beet; and one bushel of corn is worth three of the roots. The largest and finest potatoes are grown under a clover sod, previously spread with stable manure; the cuttings are planted 8 inches apart, in every third furrow, close to the land side, and well strewed with gypsum before the sod is turned over them. This application, as I have proved from numerous experiments, both improves the quality, and, in dry seasons, more than doubles the quantity. After the ground dries off, it is to be harrowed with a light sharp harrow until the surface is perfectly smooth; and if the sod is likely to be turned, the harrow should be preceded by the roller. When the tops appear, each row is to have a stroke of the harrow to disentangle any plants which cannot readily get through. When the tops are a foot high, a cultivator is passed between the rows, which are afterwards enclosed by the plough in a nice box of earth. All that is required afterwards is to pull out by hand any grass or weeds which may arise in the rows, and destroy such as come up in the middles with the cultivator. By the above simple and economical process, I have never failed to produce finer crops of potatoes than I could grow on ground that was fallow under the most careful culture. For planting, I prefer a large potato cut small; which, having the strongest buds, will put forth the strongest shoots, and we will always find the size of the tubers will be proportionate to that of the talks. But one or two good eyes are left to each cutting. Various kinds are planted for early useamongst which the mercer is perhaps the best, and also keeps well. The finest variety we have for a late crop is the pink-eye. I regret to add, that crop after crop, and some of the most promising we have ever had, including every kind, have fallen a prey to the mysterious destroyer so universally prevalent. All the potatoes which have ripened before the 1st of August (that I have planted) have escaped the rot; if others have been alike fortunate, the hint should not be lost. Our late potatoes are gathered when the ground is dry; which is put in with the rest of the field in wheat. Fruit.-Abundance of fine apples are raised everywhere throughout our county, but prices are too low to make it a profitable crop. In fruit seasons the best apples are frequently sold in our orchards for 12 cents a bushel, and cider at the press for $1 per barrel. The varieties that keep best are the Newtown-pippin, the pound or fallow-water, the gray-house, cart-house, smoke-house, and green pippin. The Rambo, Spitzenberg, French pippin, yellow bellefleur, and black Vandervere, are the favorite fall and winter fruits. The peach once flourished everywhere throughout our State; but, for many years past, the worm and the yellows have been so fatal to it, that its culture is almost abandoned. The only remedy yet found for the yellows is the extirpation of the whole stock of trees on hand, replacing them with healthy kinds from uninfected districts. Trees have often been preserved a long time in a healthy condition by constant vigilance in picking out the worms with a sharppointed knife, and pouring boiling water around the roots spring and fall. Tobacco-leaves are much spoken of as a preventive; also, an ointment of train-oil and tallow, containing a small portion of mercurial ointment. There is an accurate colored engraving of the peach-destroyer, (Egeria exitiora,) in its winged state, in Say's Entomology. The blight in pear-trees may be avoided by ingrafting the Seckle, the Bartlett, and other hardy varieties of recent origin upon seedling stocks. The Vine.--My experience with the grape has been sufficient to prove that its culture might be turned to profitable account, particularly in the vicinity of our larger towns and cities, where there was a market for the fruit. I had, for many years, from one to two acres under cultivation. After unsuccessful trials of the French and Rhenish vines, I finally turned my attention to the native kinds only, of which I found the Eichelberg, or York Madeira, and the Catawba the best. From the former I made a red wine, without addition, which somewhat resembled good claret, with a very pleasant flavor of the fruit peculiar to itself. From the Catawba, with the addition of some sugar at the press, I made a rich, strong wine, which now, after twelve years, retains all its good qualities. This fine fruit is seldom left upon the vines till perfectly ripe; and after it appears so to superficial observers, it should be permitted to remain several weeks, during which time the pulp becomes softer, the skin thinner, and the juice richer and more saccharine. One principal cause of failure in the culture of the vine arises from planting it in too rich a soil, from which it acquires an unnatural luxuriance of growth; the bearing-shoots will be long-jointed and spongy, with two much pith; the wood does not become sufficiently ripened, and is attacked with mildew, and perishes in the winter. In a congenial situation the bearing-shoots will be small, short jointed, and solid. A light sandy or gravelly soil, with a southern exposure, should be selected. Very little manure is required; and a compost, into which the virgin soil from the woods and fence-rows enters largely, with a small addition of ashes and foreign or domestic guano, is the best. Manures.-Lime has been used to some extent, and with various results, and its complex operations upon different soils are still involved in much obscurity. When mixed with argillaceous earths, it has a highly beneficial operation, not possessed by any other agent, of changing the texture of the soil, rendering it more crumbling and permeable to water, and assimilating it to that which is naturally calcareous. When applied to a good limestone soil, its beneficial effects, of course, are not so apparent; but even in this case we have the most decided proof of its favorable operation in the change it produces in the suite of plants which are the spontaneous growth of every kind of soil. In fields which have been well limed, instead of the blue grass and sorrel, so injurious to our crops, there will spring up the weeds peculiar to the richer soil of our gardens, such as the lamb's quarter, (Chenopodium album,) mallows, (Malva rotundifolia,) and Spanish needle, (Bidens bipinnata.) When applied with a view to its durable operation upon the soil, from 100 to 200 bushels should be allowed; and I have reason to believe that, in combination with manure, double the highest of these quantities might often be advantageously used. It is applied in smaller portions with great advantage-in many places, as a top dressing; but in such cases its good effects will be proportionately less permanent. Very respectfully, yours, JOSEPH HENDERSON, M. D. Hon. THOMAS EWBANK, RISKWAYVILLAS VALLEY, MIFFLIN COUNTY, Pa., SIR: In reply to your Circular of August last we beg leave to state, first, as to wheat: although over 40 bushels per acre have been raised in this region, it is not supposed that the average yield of the best farmers would much exceed 20 bushels per acre. The average yield of Mifflin county, however, it is believed, is not more than 15 bushels per acre. Guano has been but little used in this region. We have sown twothirds of guano, mixed with one-third of plaster, broadcast previous to harrowing the ground in preparation for drilling in the wheat. Where the ground was poor, it was put on thickly; and where the ground was rich, less was put on. The result was an extraordinary crop all over the field. The gain cannot be stated, as it was not applied in equal quantities. Fallow ground in this region is generally ploughed twice; somtimes it receives three ploughings from 6 to 7 inches deep, with intermediate harrowings. The most general preparation of seed wheat is to let it become thoroughly ripe, and to separate it from the seeds of all kinds of weeds. The time of sowing is from the 10th of September to 1st of October. Harvest comes on about the 1st of July. The best remedy for the Hessian flies is to manure the ground well; and, if the flies attack the wheat in the fall, to turn the cattle on it in dry weather, so that the ground may be well tramped, or to roll it with a heavy roller. We are not much annoyed by weevils. No general system of rotation prevails. The common practice is, first, corn, or a close sod; plough late in the fall or early in the spring; next, oats. The ground is then manured, and the wheat drilled in at the rate of one and a half bushel to the acre. White blue-stem is the most productive; Mediterranean is less esteemed than formerly. Clover seed is then sown in March or April, and not unfrequently timothy seed is sown; it ought to be sown immediately after the drill. The ground is then mowed or pastured for one or two years. Clover ground is also fallowed to a considerable extent, and not unusually wheat is raised on a clover lay. After the ground is first mowed, the clover is permitted to grow up previous to ploughing; the harrow is passed over it in the direction which it is intended to plough. After the clover is carefully turned under, the harrow or cultivator, or both, should be freely used to pulverize the ground previous to drilling in the wheat. Although the yield per acre of the better farmers is, by a judicious system of manuring, on the increase, and, although the use |