The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-06-28
Fl. BELL, Editor and Proprietor.
AGRICULTURAL.
From the New Genessce Farmer.
SALT AND THE GRUB WORM.

! oALi AMI q UhOD WIN VI.
Mr.. Editor--Through the columns of
your valuable paper, hope to make the
public acquainted with the value of the CON-
mon black grub, as an agent in the cultiva-
ton of corn, when their labors are directed
by the genius of man. This, sir, is a new
position. position which has for its foun.
dation that there has nothing been made in
vain. but that all things were made for the
benefit and service of man and subject TO his
direction, and that it is only in the ignor-
ance of men that worms and insects become
scourge upon the face Of the earth. The
grub has been literally cursed for following
the instinct of his nature, which teaches him
to eat the corn and reject the grass and
sorrel, with which our fields are generally
filled. Now, sir. if those who have cured
the Grub and have advised the agriculturist
10 follow him with sharp piece of tin or a
knife, with which TO decapitiate him, or to
tie him up in a rag and lei him ioa: down
stream, had but applied common salt 10 the
hills of corn in The place of gypsum, then.
throug bout the land, the merits of the grub
would have been duly appreciated, then he
would have destroyed the grass and sorrel
in place Of the corn, thus materially aided
the agriculturist.
In my humble opinion, the introduction
OF salt as manure. and to prevent the raw
ages of the grub, will be Of incalculable ben
eft to the country. Upon our farm we have
used salt as Il manure and as protection
to The corn from the grub, 70. period of
seven or eight years. We ough, to b, ca
paoe ofjudging Of the benefits winch we
have received from using it. During this
period we have missed the application but
one season-the result wa. the loss of our
crop; from field of about twenty acres, we
harvested but one cart load of corn, where
had not the grub injured it, we should in all
probability have harvested fifty bushels to
the acre. Last season, lS4l, we planted
about twenty acres; the grubs were so plen-
ty that we despaired of protecting it from
them: indeed, upon an average, should
think there were twenty to every hIl of corn
We applied one bushel Of salt to the acre:
the protection was ample; scarcely u single
blade was touched. but every spear of grass
and sorrel was destroyed by them, and in
this way they assisted in the cultivation
The application should be made as the corn
is just peeping out of the ground. The salt
should be put exactly upon the hills, and at
the rate Of one bushel TO the acre-more than
one bushel to the acre would do no harm.
provided it is put on with common judg
'nent. One bushel is sufficient if properly
applied.
If you think this communication will BE-
IF any benefit to agriculture. you will please
publish IL and oblige constant reader OF
your valuable paper.
THoNAsN. ALLEN.
Salt Point, Duchess Co., 1912
There is some wit in the foregoing. and
We believe as much truth ne w.t. We knew
l farmer in whose statements we place en-
ire reliance, who has been accustomed for
wears 10 put quantity Of salt and mix it
well with his manure, which he intended to
put in the hill at planting. 1t hns happened
repeatedly in these cases that his own corn
has been uninjured by the grub, while his
neighbours lust over the fence has suffered
severely. He is confident of its Efficacy
The application of salt TO the hill, as prescri-
oed by our correspondent, is new mode
Editor.