ROOT AND APPLE GRINDER. 
369 
from six to twenty inches, into the subsoil, as 
the case may be, loosening and stirring up the 
soil, without bringing it up to the surface. 
Formerly, it was the habit with farmers to 
plow only from three to four inches deep, and 
from year to year, the ground was penetrated 
only to this depth. The consequence, was, the 
plow going only at this depth, a hardpan, or 
crust, was formed, by the tread of the cattle in 
the furrow, and the sole of the plow pressing 
down, which, in the course of a few years, made 
the subsoil so hard that plants could not strike 
their roots below for support But, by using 
the subsoil plow, this hardpan, or crust, is brok- 
en up and pulverised, so that the roots of plants 
can reach down and find support. 
In flat, level lands, which are inclined to clay, 
subsoil plowing is invaluable, as it breaks up 
the stiff soil, and lets the surface water down, 
making the soil more permeable, light, and pro- 
ductive. Also in high, rolling, and gravelly 
lands, subsoiling breaks up the hardpan below 
for deeper cultivation; and, in fact, I think there 
is but little, if any land, but will be benefitted 
more or less by subsoil plowing. Yet how 
many farmers, out of the mass, in the next ten 
years to come, will avail themselves of the use 
of this plow — those of us who live may see. 
L. Durand. 
Derby, Ct., August, 1850. 
ROOT AND APPLE GRINDER. 
m 
Root and Apple Grinder. — Fig. 89. 
This machine has 
been recently con- 
structed for the 
purpose of grind- 
Fig. 90. ing, or rather rasp- 
ing apples, by which the fruit is reduced to a 
fine pulp, and the juice can be much more 
thoroughly pressed out, than by the old pro- 
cess of grinding. It is also made to rasp or 
grind the several species of roots, as the man- 
dioca, or Brazilian arrow root, the Curcuma 
angustifolia, or East-India arrow root, the 
Cycas circinalis, the Zamia pumila, of Florida, 
the Maranta arundinacea, or common arrow 
root plant of the West Indies, and the 
yuca or cazabe root, a plant of Cuba ; also 
potatoes, &c, from which the arrow root, tapio- 
ca, and starch are made. The machine can be 
propelled both by hand or horse power, as may 
be required. When large quantities of roots 
are to be prepared, the horse power is preferable. 
We make a smaller machine for rasping horse 
radish, &c, which works by treddle power. 
»♦» 
MARTLAND FARMING— A GREAT TDRND? CROP. 
In our opinion, Charles B. Calvert, of Mary- 
land, is the greatest grower of roots, for stock, 
in the United States. His farm is known as 
Riversdale, seven miles towards Baltimore, 
from Washington city. The soil is a sandy 
loam, and has been very severely cropped, and 
greatly reduced in fertility, until he undertook 
the renovation system, that has made such a 
contrast between his land and that surrounding 
him, which only bears a scanty crop of broom 
sedge and scrub pines. His turnip crop last 
year was 25,000 bushels upon about 30 acres. 
These have nearly all been fed to stock upon 
the farm, or at the National Hotel, in Washing 
ton, which he provided for. He keeps eighty 
cows, mostly Durhams, besides other stock. 
Manner of Feeding. — The turnips are cut up 
with a root cutter, some twelve hours before 
feeding time, and sprinkled with salt and bran. 
The salt entirely prevents any unpleasant taste 
in the milk. At the same time, a quantity of 
cornstalks are cut, or rather ground fine, and 
these are fed to the cows, mixed with the tur- 
nips at the rate of two bushels of stalks to one 
of turnips a-day. Upon this feed, without any 
hay, the cows are kept all winter, and give 
milk all the time. 
Milking Qualities of the Herd. — Mr. Calvert 
states that he has cows that have averaged 16 
quarts a-day, through the year, and produced a 
calf. They do not stop milking at all, before 
calving. The milk, for a week or two previous, 
is used for feeding calves, none of which are 
ever allowed to suck. 
Profitable Cows. — Mr. C. kept twelve cows at 
the hotel about nine months, and fed them as 
above, watering them in their stalls, and the 
yield of milk averaged 40 gallons per day, 
worth 25 cents a gallon. This is one of the 
most profitable results that we have ever met 
with. 
Calf-Fattening Experiment. — Mr. C. fattened 
one calf which he sold to the butcher at three 
months old, for $30 — a pretty round price, say 
some of our readers, for a calf. So it is, but he 
lost double that sum by the experiment; for 
the calf consumed an average of four gallons of 
milk a-day, worth $1, besides meal, and the 
trouble of feeding; and yet only brought one 
third as much as the milk would have sold for. 
Gentleness of Durhams, as Milkers. — We asked 
Mr. Calvert if he had ever experienced any 
difficulty with his Durhams about milking. 
His reply was, " Not in the least. They are just 
as gentle as any breed I ever saw." The milk- 
ing is always done in the stable. Many of his 
cows are superb animals. He keeps a few com- 
mon ones to fill up his compliment of milkers, 
and to supply demands for purchase of com- 
mon cows. The calves of these, he suckles till 
