New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-01
TALKS WITH PROF. WENTz....H
s.r.poudcnoe Of The n. Y. Tribune.

~ economic value and to birds, mice, insects, and
worms and the small destructive animals which infest
farms.
Prof W.-As collection of natural history, you
nee this has little value. But for purpose that OF
Expressing upon the stadent the characteristics OF n-
Ees species and varieties especially of all plants
which cultivate beyond those which are objects OF
daily Observation in field and market the collection liz
invaluable. Let call your attention to that series
Of the edible grains in the small pots. This collection
we have formed from own fields, selecting ten or
dozen Of the best average specimens when fully ripe,
inserting them in dry earth in the pots and covering
shs simply for ornament, with little fine white sand.
You Observe the Of each variety is upon the pot
and that by each stands vial containing small
Quantity of the original seed. That VIAL for instance
holds portion Of the original seed wheat which we
imported from England and that pot specimens of its
growth On that shelf stand ffty specimens of En-
: gsh varieties Of wheat-Winter and Summer; dark
colored yellow, and white with and without boards,
and The like not TO speak Of the various wheats from
j ether parts of the world In deciding upon what va
re,y is to be planted in any particular place. have
10 consider the of the SOIL character of the eli
mate, comparative value of straw and fruit-sraw
being here very important produet-and the like 1t
is of little for the student hereafter to be able to
Judge well these points unless he knows the vare
ties 10 well to distinguish them at Here he
has opportunity 10 each variety, and learn its Pc
euarities; and when he leaves the institution he
take with him from our seed house few specimens OF
each, arranged upon large card with the at
ached The is true of rye oats and the grasses.
We then passed TO the collection of tobacco speci
mens These are punches of leaves taken from the
fields and dried-no manufactured tobacco having place
s an object of care with the Professor that all the
Fpecimens whether from parts Of Germany from Man
lila Cuba or our own country to have those speci-
mems Just az they sent TO market that the student
NAV see at gance the method adopted in each locality
even in 40 small an affair as fastening the lunches
together from one place the leaves strung upon
thread through the stumps, and then wound together
from another tied with wisp of tobacco leaf; from
another with a string, and 80 on.
Vtsitor-I think IT, Herr Professor, fortunate CIR
eumstance for community when it cannot grow tobac-
90; first, on account Of its being 80 ruinous crop
% the land, as l have myself seen in Virginia; and,
secondly especially in the neghborhoOd of cities be-
cause usurps the place of vegetables and causes them
% become dear and of poor quality the poorest land
only been allowed to them. have observed this latter
objection to hold good in regard to the wine culture.
Take notable instance About Vienna in the magnif-
cent fruitful valley of the Danube, vineyards have
nsurped very large proportion Of the soil and yegea
bles in that market comparatively dear; while in
Berlin situated in the sandy desert of Brandenburg,
but where neither wine tobacco will grow, vegea-
bic food is really cheap and yet population but
quarter less than that of Vienna.
Prot. W-Your first objection does not hold good
with Our system Of manuIng richly and of saving
everything which make manure, saves the land
from deterioration. / know fields where year after
L. -.
quantity, until in the profts-after de-
ducng all expenses-have been 100 to 40 thalers per
morgen-I$l10 TO $3.50 the acre The rankness of the
vegetation however caused the leaf to deteorate and
the merchant and manufacturer protest against such
rich manuring.
There ia great objection however, TO making this
exclusively the subject of oultivatOn-an objection
which also holds good of wne- e. for the peasants
and people who have small capital. IL is q sue
cesOn of bad years ruins them In the Pfalz the old
Palatnate, up the Rhine) succession Of bad years
ruined many of the vntner Others dug up their vines
and planted tobacco. Then came several bad years
for this crop and these people ruined in turn
while those who had capital enough 60 through the
bad wine years, all became wealthy by the crop Of
1857
In the Rhine valley, too, down toward and in Hol-
Land tobacco is and has been for years the great crop
IL
very productive one, notwithstanding that the people
dry II very badly.
Visnor.-The merchants should buy it green.
PREF. W.-They have begun to do so. Please note
my drawers IN which keep the specimens. The bot.
toms are not of wood but Of thick paper. The leaves
keep here long time wltAnut erumblng, which with
wooden bottoms is not the case.
The specimens of fax are all donbled-ps dressed
and the undre of each species large handsome
lunches, and hung upon the hooks of common hal
stands 80 that the light from the windows he's free play
upon them. The specimens of wool from all sorts OF
sheep and in all conditions, with the various nsru
ents for testing quality and for marking sheep and the
like are in glass cases. easy Of inspection, properly
named and classified.
Apples and other fruits not being preservabe, are
initiated in wax, and that too in great perfection.
We went ont into the grounds-almost perfectly
level and excellent sol-true river bottom, and in
high cultivation.
First came the patch, half perhaps Of maize
for fodder No species Of maize npens well here the
Summer, though long, being cold; and the question
in selection Of seed is simply which will give the most
fodder. The horsetook' species, as they call it
bere-being the long fiat kernel from the norther
ly Of our Southern States-s the seed chosen. 1t is
planted in drills about foot apart, very highly
nured, and the product is magnificent They
feeding 10 the cattle, taken daily from the field aud
cut fine. The tobacco patch adoins the corn and,
though for several years devoted to that plant gives
great crop Of rather article. In the Botanic
Economic Garden was rather surprised at the want of
certain ulants than al what Jaw growing FOrinstnce