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fact, it is among our best grapes ; if not equal, it is second
only to the Delaware ; yet I find sale for but few, as the
settlers of anew country as a general rule, do not like to
take the trouble to cover it in winter with soil; which
must be done in this climate, or it would be killed to the
ground. In rich soil it, is not *hoar as heavy a bearer as
when planted in poor soil. It is a rampant grower at first,
but when well established can be controlled in the vine
yard. Rich soil makes it run to wood, and not to fruit
buds. These things should be understood by the begin
ner, (for whom alone I write) as the practice of the novice
generally is to manure heavily. I have discovered this in
experiments with my own vines, as some are planted in
the timber land of the valley of the Big Blue River, while
others arc growing on the poorer bluffs. The beginner
will make a note of this if he desires good crops from the
luscious Diana. The Diana is a seedling of the Catawba,
but a superior grape both for the table and wine, and like
the Clinton, will keep fresh here tiil April or longer. As
soon as our pioneers are educated in the t ste of grapes, I
will propagate very largely of this variety, because it is an
excellent grape, better than any well tested grape, except
perhaps the Delaware. I will continue this subject in my
next. Truly, &c. A. M. BURNS.
Manhattan , Riley Co s., Kansan.
From the Central Georgian.
HOW TO ISA ISIS ON SONS.
The Agricultural department] of the Georgian, is a fea
ture which our readers in this section are very happy to
recognize. And as you call upon the Farmers for contri
butions, I have determined to give you my experience in
the cultivation of onions, a vegetable which cannot be too
highly appreciated. The onion is, as you are well aware,
propagated from the seed, and cultivated, to its highest
development, liom the “Set,” and from the “Button.”
When l wish to bow the seed, the ground is thoroughly
prepared in the month of January, in this by
being deeply spaded, well manured, and finally pulverised.
About the 15th of February, drills are opened about fi ;r
inches deep, and filled with well pulverised manure from
the “lien House, (the very best, because the strongest
manure to be had.) This drill is covered level with the
general surface, and a very liyht drill, not more titan one
half inch deep, is opened on it, in which the seed are light
ly sown. About April, they are thinned out to a
“stand,” which should not leave the “Set” more than
eight inches apart. The plants thinned out, should be
transplanted at the same distance opart, and not bn ied
deeper than they grew in the drill. My experience, how
ever, is in favor of usirg the “Button,” which is planted in
November, in drills prepared as above mentioned, and
very .shallow. The roots of the onion do not run down,
they are surface roots, ahd require the manure to be near
the surface, to benefit them. The great secret in the cul
tivation ol onions, is to keep them from beim/ buried in
the ground. Fill your drill with manure, from the Hen
house, and just cover the button or set, am »o more.
Keep the grass down, and in the fall, before the tops be
gin to die, move the soil from the onion, and just .leave
the onion held in the ground by its roots, its superior, or
upper surface entirely exposed to the action of the sun
and atmostphcrc. 1 have embraced all the points I think,
in this subject, and just mention, that by this system, i
have grown onions weighing three-fourths of a pound,
and as many as sixteen bushels on one-eigth of an acre.
Very respectfully,
A. i). s.
Linton , Hancock county , Get., Jan. 30t h.
♦ « B»
Subscribe for the Southern Cultivator.
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR.
WEEDS.
Editors Southern Cultivator :—Are we not laboring
under a mistake in considering that tveeds which interfere
with the cultivation of our crops are unmitigated evils,
entailed upon us as one of the punishments inflicted for
man’s transgressions. That they cause us much toil, sweat
and vexation, is true ; but has any one ever fairly, patient
ly and scientifically investigated their properties and con
stituents? V c have never seen or known anything be
stowed upon them but maledictions and vengeance ; yet
it is possible, and no doubt probable, they are the true
friends of the tiller of the soil, if he only knew how to
use them. We can see or knotv of no good reason why
they may not contain as effective elements of fertility as
Peruvian Guano as any other fertilizer now used. We
know that some of our virgin soils, teem with the remains
of vegetation, and overflowing with the elements of fer
tility, in some instances, to an almost inexhaustible extent,
so as to bear cropping for a hundred years, without its
being necessary to manure them artificially. This fertili
zing pow^r.or property may have been centuries in accu
mulating, under the slow march of nature; but with our
present knowledge of the sciences, can we not expedite
the process of collecting these elements, and apply them
when and where needed ?
We know from experience that some of our most trou
blesome and common weeds, contain very active and val
uable fertilizing power, when properly managed. Some
of the genus Ambrosia, we have noticed particularly in
this respect—as it was accidentally brought to our notice
in the first instance, as follows: Having a small piece of
stubble in our orchard, which had become over run with
Ambrosia elatior , (commonly called hog-weed,) which wo
wished to use, we pulled them up about the time of bloom
ing, and piled them up. There was possibly about half a
half a wagon load, which lay and rotted until the ensuing
spring. A piece of corn was planted near by, and as the
pile of weeds had rotted nicely, we resolved to appiy it
to the corn as far as it would reach. The result was, I
never saw such large stalks of corn grown before, with
any kind of manure. Ilad we not gathered these weeds
when green, they would have ripened and dropped their
seeds, and the stalks would have dried up and remained
like di> sticks upon the ground, almost entirely worthless
as manure.
I have never seen an analysis of this plant, and do not
know its constituents. It certainly contains very active
and valuable fertilizing elements, which we have no doubt
would pay well for t* trouble of gathering, as it always
ovenuns the grounu where early crops have been culti
vated.
Some may say, why not turn them under with the plow
when gteen, and save the trouble of gathering ? It cannot
be done, as they grow from four to eight feet high. The
usual way that farmers dispose of them, ; s to burn them
off in the spring, receiving only the benefit of the ashes,
which is but a Billing affair. When red clover rots upon
the gt ound, its enriching power is very perceptible—much
more so than when turned under with the plow. Those
familiar with its cultivation cannot fail to have noticed it,
whote patches of it have remained over winter.
\\ e have adverted to these facts, to call the attention of
farmers to a source of valuable manure, which we all know