Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-03-07
AGRICULTURE.


IN different parts of the country, ana
we nope that it will not cease until the
United States manufactures all the SUI
gar that it consumes. 1t is about
twenty-five years since the first seed Of
the Chinese cane made its appearance
in Europe, having been forwarded to
France IN 1851 by the French Consul at
Shanghae. AS there was but one of the
seeds germiRated. it required some
years to reproduce it in sufficient GUAM
titles 10 admit of expectation. An
agent of the Patent Office returned to
this country in 1854. bringing with him
some of the seed. The first planting of
the grain in this country did not, there
fore, occur until 1856. In the year 1857
another variety of sorghum was intro
duced into this country from Africa to
which the name of 1mphee is applied.
There are many varieties of both the
Chinese and African sorghum, as in the
case with all cultivated plants. The
name sorghum Is Il general one, and is
applied to all varieties OF the cane from
whatever source, while the name I'M
phee is specially applicable only to
those varieties which come from Africa,
and the name Sorgo to those which
come from China. The botanical posi-
ton of the Sorghum is not fully settled,
but the best authorities now refer i. to
the species Sorghum uulgare, the COM
mon broom corn being considered
variety of the same species. The best
cultivators consider that the varieties Of
cane are so numerous rs to be very de-
trimental to the sorghum interest.
With less varieties, there would be much
less diversity in the qualities of the
production, and tine business could be
reduced to a more reliable standard. The
best soil for the Sorghum is lightish
sandy or gravelly upland. The heavy
black alluvial soils which border rivers
and streams are quite unsuitable. The
growth of cane may be good, but the
sirup is OF dark color, and Of inferior
quality. Any good corn land is good
for Sorghum, provided it is also good
for wheat. Bottom land, though it may
be good for corn, as already stated, is
not good for this crop. Ne strong rank
manures of any kind should be used,
Pig manure has been known to impart
such flavor to strip as to render it UNI
fit for use. If the soil is reasonably
rich no manure is necessary; where
manure is needed, only that which is
old and we'll rotted should be used. A
liberal application of lime, plaster and
ashes unless these elements largely exist
IN the soil, will be found highly advan-
tageous. Undertaking and subsoiling
will be quite as beneficial to this as to
any crop; though it is not more neces-
sary than for corn. Flowing and drag
ging should be carefully done, and the
soil thoroughly ptlverized, as there is
no plant more feeble or sensitive in its
early growth than this. Planting should
be done as soon as the soil has become
thoroughly warm and dry. tits not ad-
visable to soak the seed. If the soil is
dry when the soaked and partially ger
minated seed is put in, the dry soil alb
serbs the moisture of the seed and de-
stroys its life. A half inch of light, fine
soil is abundant covering for the seed.
Many plant in drills and cultivate one
way; others in hills and cultivate both
ways. The drills should be about four
feet apart and the plants six inches
apart in the drills. Hills may be three
and half by four feet, with six to eight
plants in the hill. There is question
as to which way is best for drills to run,
but on account of the prevailing west
erly winds, the plants in drills running
east and west are less liable to prostra-
ton. The young plants when first up
are grass-lile in appearance. They are
very feeble, and it is absolutely neces-
sary that all weeds should be kent
down, so as to give them II good start
from the first. When the plants are
well established, and have reached a
height of ten or twelve inches, they grow
with great vigor ana rapidity, and all
subsequent cultivation can be done
with horse cultivator.
BASKET WILLOW GRoWING.-In reply
to a question asked at the meeting of
the Massachusetts, board of agriculture,
ut bingham, concerning the cultivation
of basket willow in this country, Mr..
Edmund Hersey gave it as his opinion
that there is no real obstacle in the way
of its profitable culture here, except
our present ignorance concerning its
requirements. On this account alone,
most of the experiments made thus far
have failed. 1t is very important first,
that the right kind of willow is selected,
and then that it is set in proper soil.
There are some 800 varieties Of willow,
hut only one that he could fully recon-
mend, and that requires a warm and
dry, rather than a cold, damp soil, as
many have supposed. A good, warm
Indian corn soil is what the basket will
low needs. He exhibited the past
years growth, nine feet and nine inches
long, which were quite small, and held
their size very evenly nearly the whole
length. Nine tons have been grown
per acre, and this will shrink in drying
TO three tons, and is worth from six TO
eight cents per pound after stripping.
A PARASITE OF THE POTATO BEETLE
For year or two past there have been
lntimations that foe to the potato bug
had appeared-an insect that preyed
upon him for food, but no one has been
able to describe it. A keen eyed Seneca
Lake farmer has recently done 1t
through correspondent of the Geneva,
n. y, Gazette, producing at the same
time one Of the insects, which he caught