Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-08-30
Improvements in Axriculthrs.

Improvements in Agriculture.
The whole country seems to be a.
wakeing to the necessity of adopting the
improved methods Of cultures Sub-soil
plows are being introduced in many pla-
ces where until now, there use was un-
known. In the State Of New Jersey par
ticularly, the sub-soil plow has ceased to
be curiosity, and the counties of Som
erset and Sussex are likely to render their
fine land. available. Formerly the farm
ers were under the impression that the
should not be disturbed, but now every
intelligen: tiller ofthe soil repudiates such
dogmas, and knows that the more deeply
it is disintegrated, the larger will be the
crops; he knows also that much assistance
is rendered by the atmosphere, and that
all soils may be gradually deepened by its
influences. The tedious use Of the hand
hoe, for coarse crops, is giving,way to the
economical and effective rseacultivator;
by the use of this instrumentfhe farmer
can afford to disturb the soils among his
crops more frequently, and therefore pro-
duce large results with less expense
Potatoes are now generally planted in
rows and covered with earth, by running
tuo r~y pillow between the rows, thus
leaving regular ridges equidistant from
each other. As soon as the potatoes are
up, drag-board is used. This simple
contrivance is about four feet wide an!
eight feet long; the horse is attached to the
long side, and the driver stands upon the
board with his feet wide apart, the horse
walking in one of the burrows. This drag
board without materially compreessing the
soils, fattens and widens the .ops Of the
ridges, displacing small weeds without
injuring the potatoes. By the driver
standing near the rear edge, the front is
slightly elevated, and thus the soil remov-
ed from the tops Of the ridges, covers the
weeds nearest to the potato crop. After
using the drag-board, cultivator passes
between the drills and removes all weeds.
The cultivator is occasionally used after.
wards, and thus the ground is continually
disturbed and the weeds kept under
Many Of these cultivators are SO constrlc-
ted, that the two rear teeth resemble small
ploughshares, and by changing the right
for the left tooth, the earth is thrown from
the hills, and vice versa.
Even turnips are seldom sown broadcast
but by using the turnip drill an acre can
be sown in an hour, in drills equidistant
from each other, and the after culture be
all performed with the hand or horse cul-
tivator. Indeed, carrots, beets, and all
crops raised directly from seeds, should
be SO sown as the saving Of expense in
their after cultivation will render the whole
cost beyond the rent and manure, less than
half that Of the old system of hand hoe
ing.
| Refuse salt is gaining favor as manure
and we now see daily wagon loads Of this
article passing our farm. Some Of our
neighbors; as well as ourselves, are using
it on fallows at the rate Of six bushels to
the acre to destroy grub., weeds, &c.,
and both our vegetable and glass crops are
materially benefited by it.
Salt tised in compost, prevents fre-fang-
Ing, and doe, not prevent proper decompo:
sition. Sailed land stands drought much
better than land not sailed, and cattle pre-.
fer grass grown upon such land.
Potatoes were much injured last year by
the grub, but on such lands as had previ-
ously' been saltedi NO such injury was
perceived.
The use of salt combined with lime, and
thus forming the chloride of lime and car:
Donate soda, we have already spoken Of;
and It's use is now we'll understood.
Cow-yards are rapidly going out Of date
and general economy Of manures is being
better understood. The fact that the vol-
atille portions Of manures constitute their
greatest value, is no longer doubted !; and
the washes Of the high lands are being
rapidly carried back to their original 10
calties, from the valleys, swamps, SC.
The refuse of factories is beginning to be
used, and when the short-sighted policy
of railroad directors shall have been reme-
died, and low or no tolls on manures are
the order Of the day, then the refuse Of
the large cities will 60 TO fertilizc the
country, and the consequent increase OF
return crops, will fully compensate the
stockholders Of transportion companies,
for slight stretch Of l,berality.
The fruit growers are more active than
formerly; old orchards, like old beaux,
are well brushed and revived; the enter
prising New Englanders may be found
fully employed during the grating season,
changing the valueless orchards Of New
York and New Jersey into sources Of
profit, and this miscalled mania will in a
few years fill the markets with improved
fruits. Those who wish well to their
country, can not but rejoice with us at the
onward march of improvement Work.
ing Farmer.
A Death Bed Contrnct.-There lives in
Covington, Ky, Tor did yesterday mar
worth about $4,000, who lies upon what
may be, and probably will be his death
bed. Like many Of us, he does not like
to die, vet the future he does not so much
think of, as the worldly treasure he is te
leave behind. Physicians he utterly des
pise, and has, during his present illness
suffered OH without their aid, but the ex
cessive bodily pains that he has late ex
perienced, forced him on Saturday, to SEM
for one.
On the arrival of the doctor, he submit