No. 2. 



AND GARDENER'SJOURxNAL. 



as far as my practice is concerned. My object in wri- 

 ting at this time is, to aeli one or two questions res- 

 pecting the use of Lime. I believe it is generally ad- 

 mitted that its presence in the soil is necessary to the 

 perfect growth of wheat. Now I would ask what is 

 the most simple and easy methodof testing soil, so as to 

 ascertain whether it contains any, or a sufficient quan- 

 tity of lime? Does all land in limestone countries 

 contain as much lime as is advantageous; or, what e.\- 

 periments, (if any,) have been made to ascertain the 

 effects of applying lime as a manure, on lime-stone, 

 or other lands in this country? These questions may 

 appear to open an extensive field for remarks, but I 

 think their importance is so manifest that no apology 

 'is necessary for oflering them through the (wheat 

 growing) Genesee Farmer. Seneca. 



January, 1840. 



Large and Small Clover. 



Messrs. Editors — Can you inform me why it is 

 Ihat farmers generally do not sow the large kind of 

 dovcr in preference to the smaller kind? I consider 

 the larger variety of much greater value to wheat 

 growing farmers than the other. I would also en- 

 quire whether there are more than two kinds in culti- 

 vation in this section? I often hear mention made of 

 israall, and a medium kind, but I could never discov- 

 !r that there was in reality any difference; they both 

 TTOW alike with me, and if they do not with other 

 )eople, I should like to be informed of it. W. G. 



Wheatland, Jamiary, 1840. 



Slaking Beat Sugar. 



Many persons, in diflercnt parts of the United States, 

 ilanted the Sugar Beet last spring, for the purpose of 

 ommencing the manufacture of Beet Sugar. But 

 tre have not heard of any experiments being made, 

 hie fall or winter, in this business. Large quantities 

 f the seed were sent from the Rochester Seed Store, 

 > be planted in the State of Michigan; but we have 

 card nothing of the results. Will not some friend 

 lere, or elsewhere, send us some information on this 

 ibject ? 



Merchant's DrUI Barrows. 



The proprietor of the Rochester Seed Store sold, 

 uring the past season, a large number of "Merchant's 

 Irill Barrows." One kind for sowing Ruta Baga, 

 nd other small seeds; and another kind, a little differ- 

 it, for sowing both large and small seeds, especially 

 langel Wurtzel, or other Beet Seed. He wishes 

 lose who have used them would inform him whether 

 ley answer the purpose, and give general satifaction; 

 I order that he may know whether to recommend 

 lem to his friends or not. 



Our Paper and the " Cultivator." 



Some of our friends have asked us whether we in- 

 snd to make any selections, for our columns, from 

 le Albany " Cultivator." Our answer is, we intend 

 > make a paper, which shall be better adapted to our 

 oil, snd more valuable to our tamiers than any other. 

 i.nd for this purpose, we shall select such articles, 

 rom the whole list of agricultural papers, as we may 

 hink most valuable to our readers. At the same 

 ime, as some of our renders are also readers of the 

 !^ultivator, they need have no fears of our occupying 

 nuch space, with selections from that paper. On the 

 ontrary, we would advise those oi our friends, who 

 an afford it, and have the time and taste for the study 

 11 who wish to become theoretical and scientific 

 armers, to take that paper as well as our own. The 

 icience and practice of agriculture cannot both be 



ought in one monthly sheet; and the two papers to- 

 'elher, will not cost as much as the former weekly 

 jsnesee Farmer, or almost any other agricultural pa- 

 w in the counirv. 



AGRICriiTL'RAL. IMPI^EMEIVTS. 



J, "' " '""" 



Gilson's Root Slicer. 



A raachine for cutting roots is much needed at the 

 present time. The above is the best one for the pur- 

 pose we have ever seen. It will cut all kinds of roots 

 with ease and despatch, without regard to size or 

 shape. The above cut represents the machine with 

 the hopper taken off". The pla cennd size of the hop- 

 per is represented by dotted lines above at b. — 

 At the bottom of the hopper is an iron barrel 

 or cylinder (a) of a conical shape, 9 inches long, 6 

 inches in diameter one end, and 8 the other, formed 

 of four separate staves or segments, on one side oi each 

 of which arc knives, as shown at the top of the letter 

 a. The shaft, on which is the crank and the fly 

 wheel, passeSjthrough this barrel and turns it. The 

 roots rest upon the barrel, and as it revolves, 

 the knives cut slices off" the them, which paes through 

 between the staves into the barrel, and fall out at the 

 large end (which is open) into a basket or box placed 

 below. 



Gilson's Straw Cutter. 



No agricultural implement has of late years more 

 severely taxed the inventive genius of man, than the 

 Straw Cutler. Every year and in every place, we 

 hear of some real or pretended improvement in this 

 machine: until some have almost expected them to 

 cut without labor, and feed cattle without fodder. — 

 The above machine will not quite do this; but from 

 our owMi observation, and the testimony of disinterest- 

 ed persons who have tried it in comparison with other 

 highly approved kinds, we have no hesitation in say- 

 ing it is superior to any other machine for the purpose 

 now in use. In addition to its durability, and ease, 

 and rapidity ot execution, it possesses the following 

 advantages, which many others do not: — 



Ist. It is so constructed that by turning a crank it 

 feeds itself, and cuts a unilurm length; 2nd. By 

 shifting small gearwheels, the length of the cut is al- 

 tered: the lengths usually applied are three, viz: one 

 nch, tbres-fouf the, and half an inch; but can be con- 



structed so as to cut any required length; 3d. It i 

 80 constructed that the cuuiiig knives can bo taken 

 II and ground, or othetwise sharpened, and again re- 

 placed with ease and precision. 



0° This and the foregoing machine may be seen at 

 the Rochester Seed Store. (See advertisement.) 



A Visit to Mrs. Langworthy's. 



In our last, we promised a visit to Mrs. Longwor- 

 thy. We always mean to keep our promise with the 

 lad:es: accordingly, a few evenings since, we stepped 

 into a eleigh, with one of the fair daughters of N. Eng- 

 land, who never refuse a sleigh-ride, and were soon 

 bounding our way over snow-drifts and 'pitch holes," 

 as lightly as a snow-bird in a fair wind. Reader, did 

 you ever go on a sleigh-ride, with a sprightly horse 

 and sprightly companion, amid snow-drifts six feet 

 high? If so, you most likely, like us, had a delight- 

 iul upset on the way. These Yankee girls are no 

 cowards in sleighing time. And what rare sport 

 it is, when, in passin.^ a team, or turning a corner 

 over you go ; girls, cushions, and bufi'alo skins, to- 

 gether into the snow drift I Halfdead with laughter, 

 you pick up your fair companion, — all is righted, and 

 on you go again. What a happy illu-nration of our 

 correspondent's remarks on the "beneficial constitu- 

 tion of Snow" I 



We soon reached the residence of our friend, H. N. 

 Langworthy ; situated near the bonks of the Genesee, 

 about three miles north of this city. The rural cottage 

 is one of the remaining tenements of the Pioneers of 

 this country. Its log walls, whitewashed on the out- 

 side, and its snow-covered roof, render it hardly die- 

 cernable amid the ocean, of snow which surrounds it. 

 The inside is the picture of neatness, comfort, and 

 contentment. It is well furnished, ond carpeted, and 

 the walls neady papered. We had not long been seat- 

 ed by the comfortable fire, before the social table was 

 spread ; and we sat down to a repast, which would 

 make any true American " Bless his kind stars, and 

 ask no richer fare." We do not claim to be native 

 born, but we do profess to have a cultivated taste U.r 

 such things, which eiilitlesour opinion tosonie wei';ht^ 

 and to say nothing of the peach sauce, molasses, and 

 other "fixens," the Johny cake, and hot pan-cakes, 

 were certainly superior to any thing of the kind we ever 

 before tasted. These luxuries were prepared from the 

 meal of the Tuscarora Corn, mentioned by Mr. L. in 

 our last paper. As was then intimated, Mrs. Lang- 

 worthy has furnished us with directions for preparing 

 these articles, which we give to our readers. 



To make light Johny Cakes, and Indian Pan 



Cakes. 



Take two parte of Tuscarora, or other fine corn 

 meal, and one part of wheat flour ; mix up with but- 

 ter-milk, or good sour milk, slightly warmed, adding 

 a little salt. Mix rathei thin for Johny cakes or bread, 

 and thinner still for pan-cakes. When ready to bako, 

 add a heaping tea spoonful of sala^rotus, dissolved in 

 water, and stirred in. It will immediately ferment, 

 and should be baked without delay, taking care to bake 

 thoroughly if thick. If butter-milk or sour milk is 

 not at hand, water may be used, and before adding the 

 salteralus, add half a tea spoonful of tartaric acid. Or, 

 if preferred, yeast may be used instead of acid, observing 

 to allow it time to ferment and become a little sour, (a 

 little of the batter left over the previous day, will an- 

 swer as well as yeast,) then add the sala^rntua as 

 mentioned, just before baking, and the cakes will be 

 very light, sweet, and wholesome, especially if mode 

 from the Tuscarora or flour corn. 



A Correction. 



A small but inexcusable blunder was made on the 

 other side of this sheet, which we hope our readers 

 will correct, and our esteemed correspondent forgive. 

 In the article on page *26, headed "Observations on 

 Snow," last line of the 3d paragraph, the word prink- 

 ed "unchanging," should read "crct changing." 



