. amigos-xx "

AGRICULTURE.

r DISEASES or enumeaors. _

Vegetables, like animals, are exposed to sundry diseases and accidents, which affect their health and growth, and in some instanims utterly destroy them. At present we shall confine our attention to the diseases affecting crops ofgrain, and at another 'opportunity, treat of those belonging to po- tatoes and other kinds of roots.

Wheat is subject to various disorders, arising from the in- flueiice'ofthe atmosphere, the encroacliincnts of insects, the nature of'tho Soil, or train other causes. One of the most serious of'thcss diseases is called rust, or, in botanical lan- gauge, rubigo, from the rusty brown appearance which it as- .sumes,'a‘ird which afterwards becomes black. It first attacks the leaves and then the stem of the plants, in spots of a dirty white colour, which gradually deepen until they be-

come almost black. From the time these spots appear, which is generally when the corn is blooming, the plants evidently decline, the straw becomes quite bi~ittle,und when brokenis very disagreeable to the smell. The quality of the grain on'a rusty plant is not much affected, belllg'llot un- wholesome; and if the grain be fully fbrit]8(l,'ll is very slightly discolourod. thon the disease attacks a crop, it is thought advisable to cut it at once, as the corn will make "' 'no further progress after it is affected. _ (The causes of rust are supposed to be, the prevalence of , heavymists, rain, or sudden changes from frost at night to tho heat of'tbo sun in thedaytiine. Heavy mists and rain. ’ from their keeping the roots of the plants always wet and ‘cold, are supposed to be the main causes of rust in this'coun- try. The nature of the soil has also considerable effect. If too. highly inanured, for the purpose of forcing wheat crops, it is found that the grain is more easily affected than that grown upon land in, a well-balanced condition. This is supposed to arise born the straw of forced corn being softer

that the more frequently the grain isjvashed, there is the greater likelihood of the disease being prevented; and whichever of'the above i ’ ds is practised, great care must be taken in its per _ce, f0r upon this alone will ilssuccess (lepeiirl. It has been recommended, that when i} field ol'grain is destroyed by smut, the land'should be liiii'n- ed before another crop of grain is taken, to destroy the fungi seeds which must be scattered about the ground,

Canker, or pepper brand, is a disease peculiar to wheatfim‘l is thought to arise fi-om a-difi'erent species ofthe same fungi as smut. The grain assumes various appearances when at- tacked by this disease; at one time being of'an nshy grey or grcyisli brown, and at other times ofa blueish hue. When matured, the grain has agreyish bown appearance, and when broken, is found to be filled with a black powder. This disease differs fi'om smut in the heads 'ofgraiu never burst- ing, and also in the fetid smell which they. give out. This is described as worse than that of putrid fish: and when walking on the lee side ofa field which is affected, the smell is almost insupportable. The plants which are nfl'ectedjvflh canlt‘er become very large, hotli‘in lengthol the stem and size ofthe head; and the number ofsteins from a single root

é”

vented in the same manner as smut, washing care- fully with anyofthe mixtures recommended, being found

Husbandiy. '

VVATERING HORSES.-—The watering oftlie horse is a very important, butdisregarded portionofhis general management. The kind of water has not been sufficiently considered. The difi'crencc between what is termed hard and soft water is a circumstance of general observation. The former contains certain saline principles which decompose some bodies, as in the curilling ofsoap ; and prevents the solution of others, as in the making often—the boiling of’vegctables and the

and more porousin its nature, which rendcrsit more easily affected by changes in the temperature. Soils which are very loose and Open produce grain which seem predispos- ed to rust. This is supposed to arise from such soils al- lowing tlie roots to penetrate deeplv into the ground, where they may meet with a stratum Containing no nourishment, and thus the growth of'lhc plants is suddenly checked. Dry, open situations are less liable to rust than lands which lie low. Some say that spring wheat is not so easily affected as winter; but other reports place both kinds on an equality in this respect. Early sowing is~recoinmendcd as a preven- tive, as the autumn ruins are avoided, and the ear is well filled before the season becomes injurious. Drilling, by ad- mitting a freer circulation of'air, is said to modify the dis- _‘ order. Thick sowing; rolling after the seed is sown, where the soil is loose and requires it; changing the seed; cutting out any plants which may be affected; proto cling the roots of‘ wheat by. tares, rye, and clover; and the use ofsalinc manures—uro rill recommended aspreventives of'tliis dis- pose; and as they are simple, by a little attention it will be _ easy for a cnrefiil liusbnndinan to adopt any or all of them. The smut, called, in botanical language, ustilago, is a dis- ease which ‘attacks the ears ofwheat, the grains of which, in— stead ofcontniningr healthy farina, change into a black powder resgnbling‘that of'the dusty mushroom.

ifs'nutty seed be sown, the crop is sure to be diseased. Sound grain, when mixed with other wheat affected with a this disorder, is said to possess noxious qualities, and in some cases is altogether unsaleahle. When grain is ground

inn state of'smut, it emits a disagreeable smell, and materi- ally injures the quality of the flour. The cause of this dis- ease has never been satisfactorily ascertained, but it is now generally believed to originate from the growth of'l'ungi in the plant. Some allege that it is occasioned by an insect making an incision into the ear oftlie grain, into which seeds of the fungi find their way,.ai:d growing, cause this discas’c. Smut, M. 'l‘essicr says,,is easily known by the upper leaves becoming spotted green and yellow, or withering at the tip. These characteristics ol'smiit, he says, never deceived them. It is also stated, that if'ihe stalk be cut through a little below the ear,'it will be found to be composed principally of'a mem- branous substance, called by botanists pith, with asmall hole in the centre, instead of being a tube, as it is uniformly in healthy plants. This disease most frequently occurs in cats, but also attacks barley, wheat, and many other oftlic grasses; and in whatever plant it occurcs, the complete destruction of the seed may be looked for. From experiments perform- ed by severnl distinguished French philosophers, it appears that this disease is caused by a species of fungi, the seeds ofwhicb are absorbed by the roots of'ihe grain, and circu- late through the plant along with the sap. This fungi, it is supposed, would not grow on the soil, and requires to be carried up by the plant before it Will germinate.

Mr. Main, in his Young Farmer’s Manual, thus alludes to the operation of'smut: “ In order to have a correct view of the possibility of'the seeds offimgi invading the living strch titre ofa wheat plant, it must he understood, in the first place, that these spon' are both impalpablc and invisible individu-

Tlie disease is very ltl‘iat has free access to water will infectious, spreading rapidly over the adjoining grain; and lcourse of the day as another

_ ally; and in the next place, it should be known, that vege¥ tsblej membrane is not a solid, but vascular body or substance —-overy part being composed of numberless cells and open- ings. .Tlie spori, when ripe, are blown about in invisible clou-cls,'and alighting on every object, whether animal, vege- table,.or mineral, and whether fluid or fixed, remain and die where they fall; or, if on a congenial substance, and undera favourable stats ofthe atmosphere, germinate and come to perfection. It is from this seizure and growth of the fungi upon the leaves and straw by one species, which causes mildew, rust, or blight, as it is commonly called; and by the lodgment of the spori of another species in the inte- rior of the capsules, which corrupts and changes the healthy milk or meal into a stinking black or grey powder, called smut, so much dreaded by uiillers and bakers, and so depre- ciating to the sample of the farmer. As the disease Called smut attacks the grain in the ear long before the latter is shot from among the involving leaves, it is contended ’tbat the seeds'of the fungus cannot fall into the capsules while en- closed among the leaves; and it is therefore supposed that the seeds are'iii the soil, and are taken up by the roots, and conveyed along with the sap into the cars. Hence it is said that liberally limsd land is less liable to bear smut than when no qiiickliina is in the soil.” Land too heavily manur- ed is apt to taint the crop with smut, by affording a too ex- uberan‘t nourishment to the fungi; and hence a too bountiful manuring for grain crops may prove as disadvantageous as one too meagre.

Although the true cause of.smut has been long a mystery, the means of preventing it have. been ascertained, and are very generally practised, even although the seed is not known to be diseased. Various preparations have been re- commended for this purpose, such as cold water and lime, bOIllllg'Watel‘ and lime, salt wafer, urine pickle, solutions of arsenic,;oltitions oftlie sulphate of'copper or blue vitriol, and many others. From the disease being caused by the lodg- mentofthe seeds ofa parasitical plant about thograin seed, washing alone would be suffiment, if perfectly performed; but from the minuteness of fungi seeds, it is almost impossi- ble to rid the grain of'them by this process. Lime, or other hot substances, should therefore be used, in order to destroy what the Water fails in washing of}: Lime shells are some- times put into a copperwfboiling water, and when the shells are sufficiently dissolved, the water is poured upon the seedLWhich must be properly stirred, so that each receives

fin of the mixture. This is said to be very efficacious in

5, Hyciiiing stunt, and has not been found at all hurtful tothe

'fllll seed. Some farmers wash the seed in clean water

rst,,a_ud then steep it in urine pickle, which is thought to

destroy the seed oftl‘ie fungi. A solution of the sulphate of ‘ copper is said to be an infallible remedv, and should be pre- pared at the rate of'one ounce to an English gallon of water for every bushel of'wheat. The grain may either be thrbwn into thisusolution, and stirred, or put into a basket, and thus mimersed in the liquid. The light seeds should be all skim- medlfrom the surface as they float up; and after the seed basbndcrgoue tbisprocess, it should be washed in clesrr Water, to ,prevent‘tlie vitriol from doing it any injury, and it can then be dried either with or without lime. Aiiothsr pro‘ uses is to steep the grain. seed for twelve hours in common

, l'irioflvatei; which,” carefully performed, will rid it of'the

ngileed as speedilyas any other insthod. it is obvious,

process of brewing. it is natural to suppose that these dif- ferent kiiiils of water would produce somewhat ilifi'crent ef- fects on the animal flame, and such is the fact. Hard water, freshly drawn from the well, will frequently roiighen the coat ofthe liorse unaccustomed to it,or cause gripiug pains, or materially lessen his power of'exertion. ’I‘he racing and the hunting grooms are perfectly aware ofthis, and so is the

horse, for he will refuse the purest water fi‘om the well, if

he can obtain access to the running stream, or even to the turbid pool. VVhero there is power of choice, the softest water should undoubtedly be preferred. The temperature of water is offar more consequence than its hardness. It will rarely harm if taken from the pond or running stream, but its coldness, when recently drawn from the well, has of— ten been injurious. It has produced colic, spasms, and‘even death. It should therefore be exposed for some hours, ifin summer, in the stable or some. tank; and if in' winter, it should be heated to the proper temperature. There is of- ten considerable prejudice against the horse being fairly supplied with water. It is supposed to chill liim, torinjure his wind, or to incapacitate him for hard work. It certainly would do so if immediately after drinking his fill, he were galloped hard, but not if' he were suffered to quench his thirst more frequently when at rest in the stable. The horse not drink so much in the which, to cool his parched mouth, swallows as fast as he can, and knows not when to stop. Vthn on ajourney, a horse may with perfect safety be more liberally supplied with water than be generally is.— British .Hinerican Cultivator.

NlANY FACTS 1N FEW “loans—A legal stone is 14 lbs. Or the eighth ofa hundred, in England, and 16 lbs. in Hol- land.

The fathom, 6 feet, is derived from the height ofa full grown man. A hand in home measure, is 4 inches.

An Irish mile is 2240 yards; a Scotch mile is 1984 yards ;‘

an English, or statute mile, 1760 yards; German, 1806; Turkish, 1826.

An acre is 4840 square yards, or 69 yai’ds. lfoot, 85 inches each way. A square mile, 1760 Yards eachlway, contains 640 acres. V -

The Persians give names to every day in the month, just as we give them to days ofthc week.

The Esquimnux aitain the height ofliut 4 feet 3 inches, and the Mogul Tartare but 4 feet 9 inches.

The human body consists of 240 bones, 9 kinds of ar- ticulations or joinings, lOO cartilages or ligaments, 400 muscles or tendons, and 100 nerves, besides blood, arteries, veins, &c. _ .

Riley asserts that Arabs, in the desert, live 200 years.

The foot of a Chinese female, from the heel to the great toe, is only 4 inches long.

Total abstinence from food above seven days is fatal to man; but there are instances of surviving after a longer period. A religious fanatic, in1780, determined to fast 40 days, but died on the 16th.

In marching, soldiers take 75 steps per minute; quick marching, 108; and in charging, 150 steps.

An elephant bred to war stands firm against a volley of musketry, and 30 bullets in the flesh will not kill him.

Fish are drawn towards alight; tlieyfiassemble to be fed by the sound ofa bell, and are fond of music.

- A chesnut tree on Mount Etna is 190 feetround, close to the trunk. ‘ ~

Potatoes planted below 3 feet do not vegctiite; at 1 foot they grow thickest; and at 2 feet they are retarded two or three months.

The mahogain tree is full grown in 200 years. trees are known to be 800 or 900 years old.

There are .no solid rocks in the arctic regions, owing to the severe frosts.

Fossil bones of'the lizard, 24 feet in length, equal! to the dragons ofantiqiiity,-have been found in Bavaria.

The surfiice of the sea is estimated at 150,000.000 square miles, taking the whole surface ofthe globe at 197,000,000 square miles. its greatest depth is supposed to be equal to the height ofthe highest mountain, or four miles.

Fresh water begins to freeze at 32 deg., called the freezing point; but salt water does not been till 30% degrees.

Of 100 parts into which the surface of the earth may be divided, Europe contains 7; Afi'ica, 21;Continental Asia, 33; New Holland, 51.0., 8; South America, 15; North America, 16

A cylinder of Water may be converted into ice by placing it in 5 lbs. of'sulphatc of soda, and 4 lbs. of sulphuric acid, at 36 deg. well mixed. The ice is extracted for use by put- ting the cylinrlerin hot water.

Extreme cold produces the same perception on the skin as great heat. \Vhen mercury is frozen at 40 deg. below zero, the sensation of the skin is the some as that oftoucb- ing red hot‘iron.

The sound of thunder may be hcai‘dfor 20 or 25 miles; or with the ear to the ground, much more: Lightning is reflected 150 or 200 miles.

Cypress

THE GOVERNOR, THE MinsniPMAN, AND THE SAILOR; on wmcn is This BEST,?—-ln the House of Commons, on Tues— day, Sir Charles Napier put a curious sort of question to Lord Stanley, Secretary to the Colonies. Two or three months ago, he said, one of the mail'packcts on the West India station having delivered the mail at St. Kitt’s, pro- ceeded on her voyage, when the Governor ofono of the islands, finding that the Captain was going to St. Thomns’s, insisted on being landed at Basseterre. The Captain, after

.consulting his officers, declined to return to Basseterre ; but

the Governor would he landed, and a boat was sent ashore with him. After the boat had quitted the ship, the Gover- nor required the young,r gentleman in command of the boat to land him at Basseterre; but this the youngster refused to do, it being contrary to his orders—After some altercation, the Governor told the youngster that if he did not land him at Baasoterre he wouldnhrow him overboard. The young gentleman still refused to comply with the request, and at last the Governor seized him and tl‘ll‘BW‘hllY} overboard. With some difficulty the midshipman succeeded in loving hold of one ot'the oars, and was liauled‘ into the boat. The Governor repeated his requesthbut the midshipman still roe fuse’d cempliancmofi‘ering to land him. at the point, and the Governor then threatened to throw him overboard again. One of the men then said—“ Mr. Governor, we don’t know you‘herez-thoonly person We know is. the youngster; and

are greater than in healthy plants. This disease may he pref

a sure way of preventing this L(.lisease.~——Jaickson’.s' Diary of

a!” £016nia1§fl§¢tfllib

,,

if you try to throw him overboard, I’ll put this our (limit! your throat.,”—-(laughter.) The midsliipmaii landed the GOV-el'llori but on putting outto son, he f'oundthat his ship had left limit ——He then lauded, obtained water and bread, and having hoisted his sail, he ran from St. Kitt’s to -St. Thomas’s, a dis- tance of'two hundred miles, and there picked up his ship—i (cheers) He (Sir C. Napier) had heard of the cii'ciiiristance, and he thought that‘if the Governdr had acted in the manner imputed to him, it Was highly necessary that he should be called to account—(hear, hear.) Lord Stanley promised to make inquiries. '

[The above anecdote reminds us ofan occurrence that took place same years since, both ofthe actors in which have gone to “ that bourne whence no traveller returns.”—-We were diu— mg, on board the Atlanta, sloop of‘war, inSt.‘ George’s Harbour, Bermuda, one afternoon, tvben a signal was made fi'om tho Adinirn'l’s house, for a boat. Accordingly,one was dispatch- edin charge of'a Midshipman, belonging to Halifax, Nova Scotia, who was afterwards :1 Lieutenant. He soon returned, and reported that Lady \Vannsn wished him to proceed witl’i the boat to the Wells, a distance ofabout ten miles, with some clothes that wereJo be washed,~ and to leave them wherever directed by a servant, who would accompany him in tbe‘boat.‘ He further stated that he had replied, he would take any directions from her Ladysbip which she might think proper to give, but, would obey none fi'om the servant; and that he had accordingly been ordered to return on board. , .

It was considered that Lady \VARREN exercised rather too much controul in the squadron, and the young iniddy, al- though‘ his conduct met with no direct approval from the First Lieutenant, was invited to take his cat at the gun-room table; and instead ofa long row, and return late'at night, enjoyed the pleasures of the table as long as the rules of the service permitted.

In a short time, however,a signal for a boat was again made ; and the ofliccr. on returning, brought Lady VVARREN’S . compliments, requesting that one might be sent on the fol— lowing morning, to carry some clothes to the Wells, and that she would “thank the first Lieutenant not to send again such a brute of a Midshipman.”-—Fredericton Sentinel]

A Tiosit Hunt—The tiger had evidently been hit; but, springing forward, he gnlloped along. We now began to pursue him; but it was very much after the manner that a good shot in England marks down his game, and follows it; lor to keep up with the royal animal was impossible. We trotted about eight miles an hour, the tiger about sixteen at at the least. We therefore contented ourselves with follow- ing him, and dislodging him whenever he got into cover. Finding a village in front of him, the people of which hail ‘-turned out and fired several shots, the hunted animal en~ deavonred-to double. 1n effecting this manoeuvre, be came within shot ofothers oftlie party, who disoharged their rifles with such effect, that in a few moments the tiger lay sense- less on the ground. We now descended from our posts and approached to view our prize, which seemed of more than ordinarysizo. We had just come tip to it, when Lindsay, by way bf explaining some remarks he had made relative to it, touched it with his giin. Imagine our horror and conster- nation, when suddenly the beast sprang up, and with one bound cleared the circle. For an instant we stood paralysed, stupified with excess cffnar; then, rushing towards our ele- phants, we got under them; this being a comparatively safe shelter, no tiger daring to approach within reach oftheir trunks, the enormous animal being over ready and eager to kill the royal beast, should he make the attempt. The tiger who had just risen, suddenly finding himself hemmed in on all sides,glnred around him for an instant. Several shots were discharged at him, some of'which taking effect, so mad— ldened the already infuriated brute, that he made a sudden spring upon the back oftlie elephant on which sat the mu- sicians, and bit at the principal performer, who was nearest in the group. The poor man naturally shrank back. The itiger, however. caught his foot, and tore ofi'a considerable portion ofit; then darting into the jungle, in spite ofa volley fired at him, succeeded in gaining the thick covert, from which for some time we vainly attempted to dislodge him. Finding all other means fail, we at length sent in the ele- phant that carried the fireworks, and began to throw them {lighted into the reeds and brushwood, in orrlerto frighten the itigcr from his hiding-place. Presently, to our great horror, ithejunale took fire. The mohut in vain urged the elephant, : by goading him, to leave the spot. Alarmed by the flames, be fntood perfectly still; nothing could induce him to move. The mohnt, therefore, and those on his baclt,~were fain to slip down, and, risking even a rencon‘tre with the tiger, make , their wnv out ofthe now l'mrning cover. This they did in isafiity. Never in my life did 1 look on a more magnificent lsight than the conflagration now before me. Disturbed by {the fire, animals of every kind, serpents of every hue, burst ‘from the burning jungle. The cries of lesser creatures, ' mingled with the roar of the affrighted elephant, struck awe into our hearts. The flames were high ; the whole country before us presented one mass of fire. Nothing could exceed the grandeur ofthe scene. Standing on the plain hard by, secure from the danger, We looked on in silent as- tonishment and, admiration. PreSently a louder roar was bPard, and the elephant dashed out ofthe fire. He had evi- dently been severely burnt. The pads and trappings on his back were in flames, burning and rankling into his flesh;tlie iron girths were actually red hot, eating into his sides. He was roaring with agony, and ran bounding along the open space, his trunk elevated, lashing his back with his dispro- portioncd tail. Screaming mail with torture, in vain we at-