Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-14

he would take quantity on one end of
the BAN floor, and with a scoop (com-
monty used by grocers TO scoop sugar and
cofee) pitchitto the other end ofthe barn.
BY SO doing, the plumpest and best would
fall farthrest away, and he selected that
for seed; and the result would be from
thirty i've to fifty bushels of wheat per
acre. By following the rule of selecting
the bess for seed, claim that our wheat
and other grain would not run out, as is
the case now. II is so with everything.
Take the worst of anything III the animal
or vegetable Kingdoms, and will soon
s'run out"
INCREASING THE SPROUTENG
PROPERTIES OF PLAN rs.
1t is stated, in late number of the
Repertory of Patent Intentions, that
oxalic acid is superior stimulant to the
growing of old seeds, and that such as
had been kept for twenty to forty years
were easily brought TO terminate after
such treatment. To this end the seeds
are placed in watery solution of oxalic
acid in bottle, and allowed to remain in
it until the germ makes its appearance,
which usually takes place in twentyfour
10 forty eight hours. As soon as this is
attained, the seeds are to be planted as
usual.
Dingler'8 Journal, adds some other
means for the same purpose. In the
German annual meeting of German
naturalists and physicians of 1884, Count
Sternberg placed upon the table full
grown cars of Egyptian wheat, grown
from grain that had been taken out of
the old Egyptian tombs, and had, there
fore, an age of at least 2, 900 to $500
years. Many experiments which had
been Instituted to cause them to geImi-
nate, were failures; but on causing them
to be digested in fatty oil before being
placed in the ground, termination COM
menced, though slowly, and proceeded to
perfection. The ears shown were fully
developed, and proved TO be ZdIaUerG
wheat.
At the same time the Journal points
out another very simple method, to in
duce green coffee, a seed known TO be
very untractable in this respect TO ger
inmate in half a day. To this end, a
handful of good coffee is thrown into
tumblerfull of water mixed with its own
bulk Of A9. An1mOnj9; then covering
the same with loose lid and placing it
in a place Of medium temperature. After
the lapse of about twelve hours, one Is
sue to find that from all the coffee-seeds
the radicles are developing, and the
cotyledons becoming visible.
ALSTKE CLOVER.
A Michigan correspondent of the Vest
eT7l Rural writes:
Having had many inquiries from farm
ers and others in regard TO the honey and
butter producing qualities of this vegeta-
bic, l will give the columns of the
Western Rural (by the way, paper
that every Western farmer should take
and carefully ready my experience Of three
years, in regard to the great value of this
plant, TO all farmers whose soils are adapt
to its full development. My own obser-
YaiiOns, and statements from other relia-
bic sources, go far TO prove its value.
Alsike clover is not adapted to light
sandy, OF sandy aud gravelly soils, with
porous or leach subsoils. With good clay
subsJil, it succeeds better. But it luxuri-
ates iu rich, thoroughly worked clay
loan soils, rich bottom lands, prairie, and
all marsh or swamp lands where they can
be piOwed so as to kill the wild grasses.
Flowering through winter and spring
does not injure it. Here it Will accept
the situation ard display its magnificent
products on the scale of five tons of iinely
cured hay to the acre. But mark! deeply
stirred, rich, moist land, underdrained or
SUBSIDIZED, or both, will only produce this
burden. The chemical action Of plaster
is strikingly manifest on this pant. Bios
SONS are developed more or less when
The plant is from eight TO ten inches in
height; and when three and a half feet,
it is q perfect sea of bloom.
billions of dollars may be added to the
wealth OF this country, especially tie
West, in few years by sowing one acre
this yea, and gradually extending its
area. For soiling cows, horses, etc.
when pastures fail, it is equal or superior
to green corn, and attended with much
less trouble in the gathering and feeding.
During the past year, / cut three crops
from the same ground, standing at the
first cutting from two TO three feet IN
height; last cutting, one foot III height, as
thick as it could stand, small delicate
stalks, with numerous branches, and per
fectly glorifed with 8 mass of small
peach-bl0w colOrcd blossoms, filling the
air with the mos; delightful, and eXhiia-
rating perfume, snd swarming with bees
every fair day. The root is like red
clover, bnt longer and more fibrOus. The
haulm is small, tender, and nutritious;
when well cured as il shpu d be, in full
bloom, every spear will be eaten with
avidity by all kinds of stock.
There is no plant known, that will pro-
duce so much good honey, butter, cheese,
beef, mutton, wool, and hay per acre, as
this plant, not even excepting corn. In
using the latter for sOiIing, you get only
the haulm, while IL. the Alsike you get
the haulm and a large yield of honey;
and if the ground is prepared as well by
deep filth, manure, and plaster, or other
fertilizers, as for corn, you will GIT as
much by weight of the haulm.
Il bears feeding to an enormous degree.
l think its fattening qualities superior 10
the famous blue grass of Kentucky; and
as it will flourish well on such soils as l
have designated, from the Gulf t. Lake
Superior, farmers can easily divine its in
mense advantage to their pockets Be
side, the expense of seeding down"
every three or four years is saved. 1t is
a great renevatOr and disintegrat0r of
hard, tenacious soils. Its long tap roots
and numerous fibers reach deep for its
pab1lum, and thus loosen soil and endure
drought well. Some think there are two
kinds of this clover. l think not. The
difference in growth, etc, in diverse To-
calities, is owing to the character of The
soil. l never saw any but The large kind
on land once covered with beech, maple,
oak, bass, lever wood, ETC., ard l never
saw any but the small kind on light
sandy, and gravelly soils. Also, on
pebbly soils with calcarious debris, and
coed tenacious subsoi 1t succeeds well.
1t is no humbug. Farmers, try it sid
report results.