The Arkansas banner., 1843-09-23

10 fPtOlUiIltHQ aN ''Niy oiit iihob hitpN that the pressure of some hundreds of pounds, which the roller weighs, passing over the fly while in the pupa state, must necessarily grind 1t into atoms, and thus cut off all subsequent chances from indulgence in the soft dalliances of love, or of deposit ing its eggs with a view to the perpetuation of its kind If then we can get rid of this enemy by watchfulness and the application ot the roller. why need any dread be enter tained of early sowing? We know that there is greatly apprehended danger from carly sowing, of the wheat being lodged :; but this we think may be obviated, if there be sufficient potdSa in the soil to dissolve the sand, so as to form the siticate of potash that substance which gives strength and elasticity to the stem of the plant. Potash exists originally in all clays; but if by long culture the soil may have become exhausted of il, ii may be supplied by applications of ashes, lime, marl, or rrgia-clay; so that, without naming any others, here are four resources at hand; and to those who reside on our salt water rivers, where the sea-weed wash up, we will state, that in that weed potash abounds.
 III lllt eNtlll o1 du ol lilt IltSSldll Fly, and the application of the roller, we have no doubt that the crop would derive solid benefit from the consolidation of the soil, and the increased disposition and abil- ity it would impart to the plants to tiller.-- But, should early sowing conduce to rank ness, it would be all easy matter to feed the wheat plants down by turning i'll flock of sheep in dry heather, in early spring But we must be candid; we confess, notwith- standing existing opinions, that we should have no dread upon the subject, if we were satisfied that there was potash enough i'll our soil; but on the contrary, should look forward to something like certainty, that carly sowiag would push on the ripening of our grain, in summer, a sufficient number of days to enable 1t to escape injury from the RusT, an enemy equally formidable as the l Fly.
 With but one single exception, all the wheat we have examined this season, has favored the belief, that early sowing is best This brings us to the lime of Sowing. We would always endeavor to make our arrange ments to commence by the fifteenth of Sep tember, and finish from the first to the tenth of October.
 The second subject to which we would call the attention of the wheat grower, Is He use of charcoai.
 In France, as well as in America, exam ples are at command to show, that the opin- ion prevails in the minds of prdcticai fdrm- CTS in both countries, that the wheat crop has been preserved from the ill effects of the Rust by the application of fine charcoal to the soil as top dressing; the quantities are not stated, but we should think that fifteen bushels to the acre would be sufficient This is substance that every farmer may provide at but little cost of labor and time. As we have before promised, the conservative properties of charcoal may arise from its great powers of absorption, affinity for am monia, carbonic acid, and the retention of those substances when absorbed, as also to the fact of its possessing in its constituent properties, a portion of the siiicdte Of potaSh. ] The experiments ofagricutura chemists teach ! us, that charcoal will absorb ninety times its weight of ammonia, and that 1t yields 1t ! up slowly to the voltac action of the roots | of plants, and, the more approved opinion Is, that ammonia forms a very material food of plants. Ii these facts be as stated, the ex- cmption arising to the wheat plant from the llsc oi charcoal, may accrue in this way frSt. by the supply of the slllcate of potash, to give strength and the power of resistance to the stem of the plants-and, secondly, by yielding up the nutritive food so slowly, as not to endanger their disruption through grossness of habit, or a surcharge of the sap vc isels.
 We offer these suggestions, in the hope that they may induce experiments to be made the approaching season, to test the vir- tue of charcoal. If it possess the property ascribed to it, of being a preventive against Rust, it Is desirable that the truth of its eff cacv be estab!ished-ii Il do not possess 1t, il is equally important that that fact be also established, in order that dclusion may be put to rest. But, as neither its efficacy or meficacv can be established without series of we'll conducted experiments, we sincerely trust, that wheat growers will feel them selves called upon to make them.
 Thirdly. We would suggest that in every instance, where wheat may be sown, that the ground undergo thorough preparation, and that all should consider deep ploughing and repeated harrowings essential operations.
 Fomthiy. We would advise, that if the land may not have been previously lined, thatsirom } to 10 bushels of lime per acre be sown thereon, or an equal quantity of ashes. These quantities are small, but will be found sufficient for the uses of a season. And wherever wheat may be sown on a elo- ver-lev, WIG would SOW from to bushels of salt to the acre.
 FJlhly. We would, by all means, be particular ill the selection of good seed, having due regard to weight of grain, strength of straw, earliness of maturity, and quality of flour.
 Siuhig. We would not have any wheat sown, without having it thoroughly washed in pure wateE and then soaked in brine of salt that would bear an egg or potatoe, for 2i hours, which, when taken out, should be drained, and then dried in lime We are tie more particular in insisting upon this mode of preparing seed wheat, because we .>C. .l