Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-06-26
No. 4. To DR.. Jsi., Adams, Secretary IF
the Ag,1cuttnrai Society 81 Virginia.


have taken in addressing YOU, or rather
the Richmond Agricultural Socic,y i.ro
YOU, of which respectable bn ~ | have not
The honor OF beng memscr; buibel;rv-
ing that they will accept the intentions OF
one whose object IS the promotion OF the
general welfare, though rot one of their
own body, have undertakes To c0mmu-
nicate Il little information which hope
will not be unacceptable to them.
The HESsiAN Fly proving extremely
destructive TO The crops of " heat In Nir-
ginia las, spring and sun ner, aud much
having been written in the public papers
on thai subject without adding one soli-
tary useful fact 10 our knowledge respect
iug lhem, except the one communicated
by Gen. Cocke, respecting the manner in
which they deposite their eggs on the
blades, and descend into the sheathS OF
the wheat; a fact for which we ought 10
be much Obliged 10 him, and hope he will
proceed in tracing their natural history,
by a careful and minute attention to their
progress through their different stages
Till that is done, am inclined 10 believe
we shall not receive any really useful
know Wedge respecting the bes, means of
couuleracling or destroying their PERM
cious effects, iheugli aided by the most
splendid Hypothetical sprculaiions that
human genius can invent. After having
niinut,ly traced their natural history, the
next object that presents itself Is, to ascer-
tain the nature and manner of the growth
of the vegetable of which we propose TO
counteract or prevent their injurious cf-
fects, viz. Wheat. This becomes the
more necessary, as there have been plans
proposed of more in urious consequences,
as believe, than the Fly itself pariicu-
larry one published some time ago in the
tiehnnond Enquirer, by person signing
himself A King William Farmer" Who
recommends early aud deep SOWING
remedy which have often seen totally
destructive of The crop, the seed having
roi,ed IN The ground.
10 order 10 elucidaie the manner of the
growing of wheat from the grain, till ii
branches considerably, have enclosed
DelineaiIon with lis explanation, on which
II is necessary 10 make soimc lenarks, viz
1T grain of wheat is placed six inches
beneath the surface, II will vegeiate and
throw out two leaves, which are generally
called seminal leaves, and corresponding
roofs, (see The Delineaiioa, A, &c, and dO
then thread is thrown out, which as soon
as II reaches near enough ia The surface TO
come IN contact with atmospheric air, IL
there forms Il knob or enlarged point,
which is ihe part from where a new set OF
branches and roofs are thrown out, " iich
in the autumn Is abou, an inch and half
or two inches beneath the surface, (as i'm
the Deincalion marked d. After this
period, the seminal leaves, roots, and the
thread denominated caudex, dies and be-
comes useless TO the plant; above which II
has new set OF roots, branches, &c. :.
On examining many roofs of wheat, some
had knob between tie seminal and CO.
ronai roots, DC. appearing 10 be an effort
OF nature which proved abortive, being
moi near enough TO the surface 10 obtain
AIR. lIiiIe seed Is placed any where be-
tween SIX inCl's aud two from the surface,
there will he a set of ooronal and seminal
roots x branches but ifihe seed is placed
| any where between the surface and two
| inches below, there will be only one set
| of roots and branches, and those imme-
| dialeiy progressing In their different di-
| rectIops from the seed. ! have said the
stem or thread arises from the seminal
roots 10 within two inches Of the surface
in the autumn but this depends on the
| dryness and porosity of The soil AT the
time of yegetating- after the soil has
| settled by rains, ard according to the ie-
naciiy and. specific gravity oi the soil, also
| lis moisture, which increases the specific
| gravity and prevents The access of atmos-
| pheric air, so will IL be found nearer the
| surface so that iii the spring of the year,
| ii aDv branching takes place at a laie pc
| Rod, II will be found TO be entirely OIL the
| surface.
! From the above statement of facts |
| draw this inference Inat If d grain of
| wheat deposited upwards of two inches
below the surface, that il has an exiraor-
binary effort of nature 10 make, to come
up TO that point beneath the surface
where il has access TO atmospheric air |;
aud is proporiionably great according 10
the depth, quality OF lie sod, moisture,
&c. which must occupy d proportonable
! length OF time, and consequently Is equal
| 10 having been sown so much later, If
put its proper depth; and this take To- be
the secret of the King William Farmers
| deep and early seeding, as he particularly
| mentions mother root, which ] take 10
be the seminal root, (aS at A III the Define
alton y which is an evidence of the grain
being deposited deeper than palure inten-
ded il should, for il is not to be found in
wheat unless deposited upwards of two
| inches beneath the surface. He having
mentioned the mother root, ought 10 have
told us somewhat about where The
daughters were TO be found for II is upon
them that tie Hessian tly commits its ra-
wages and fancy they will always be
found less than within. two inches Of The
surface, tile depth which lie admits the
fly TO penetrate. He admits also, that
ALT seminal leaves were dead, pretty
good proof that thereof were so also.
The next infer nee make is, that the
branching Of wheat being within thai
d stance 10 which the Iiossian Fly is
known 10 penetrate, and that IFS branches
et 81