148 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
is required <.o be raised a considerable height, 
“ a large water-wheel is placed so that the strearrj 
nray turn it; and around its circaml'erence 
buckets are attached, to be filled as they sweep 
alotig below, and to be emptied into a reservoir 
as they pass above ; or instead of buckets, the 
spokes ol the wheel are themselves made hollow 
and curved, so that, as their extremities dip into 
the water at each revolution, they receive a 
quantity of it, which runs along them as they 
rise, and is discharged into a reservoir at the 
centre. These are called Persian wheels, but 
they are in common use on the banks of the 
Nile, and elsewhere.”* 
I would suggest the formation of agricultural 
clubs, to make trial of such wheels, and lor oth- 
er improvements. All the expense of such a 
wheel, defrayed by a club of ten or twenty mem- 
bers, wpuld be so small to each member, in com- 
parison with the great object gained, that the ex- 
pense would be no objection. A wheel lor the 
purpose.-? of farmers generally, would not cost 
more than five dollars. Rusticus. 
Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. 
From the Central N-w York Farmer. 
IMPROVEMENT. 
Messrs. Editors — Afterthevery polite and 
flattering invitation you have given me, public- 
ly and privately, to write for your paper again, 
I should do injustice to you and violence to my 
own feelings, did I not comply with that request. 
1 am willing, yea, anxious to do all that is in 
iny power to lorw'ard the now advancing inte- 
rest of agriculture. In this letter are the senti- 
ments 1 entertain and cherish relative to this 
great subject. I have ever held that the farmer 
should progre.ss with the progressing spirit of the 
age, and in order to do this, means must be em- 
ployed conqmensurate to the obstacles to be sur- 
mounted and end to be attained. That farmer 
who is willing to beat and beat the beaten track, 
will be about as able to compete with those 
whose motto is “excelsior,” as those who are 
fifty years behind the time in manufacturing 
clothes. That one who will unhesitatingly as- 
sert that he knows all about farming, and that 
there are none who can teach him, shows to an 
enlightened farmer that he is basely ignorant of 
the business which he disgraces by his bungling 
mode of conducting his affairs. That man who 
sa 3 '^s an agricultural journal is a money-making 
machine wicrrZy, con vinces me at least that he 
never had one in his hand — that he knows no- 
thing of their aims or accomplishments. He 
■who is too illiberal to give 50 cents or a dollar a 
year for a paper, which might be worth filty dol- 
lars to him, will not be very apt to expend much 
in improving his farm. M}'’ friends, men who 
will indulge in denouncing such noble public 
spirited men asBuel, Bernent, and a host of oth- 
ers, as asking self-aggrandizement — gratifying 
their thirst for public applause, and only aiming 
to fill their pockets, having gulled the people in- 
to their measures, to buy their stock, take their 
papers, and follow their system of farming; I 
say, sirs, such men must be posses.sed of a spirit 
contemptible in the extreme. They are no 
more fit to be farmers than a hottentot is to be 
President 1 Fit, did I say 1 language is inade- 
quate to say of such men what 1 honestly think. 
Have they no ■ mbition? Are they cherishing 
the sentiment that farming is mean, and not re- 
spectable I They know nothing ol the true far- 
mer. Do they feel that they are overlooked by 
the “professionals!” Rise, thou sluggard, and 
come forth with all that dignity of which the in- 
telligent farmer is possessed ! Assert your 
rights — claim your place due you in society, 
and drive from your bosom the thought that till- 
ing the soil is mean. Mean to till the soil ! ! 
The farmer a bondsman ! 1 answer those, and 
those only, who make them.selves such for lack 
of energy. 
“We hold these truths self-evident, that all 
men are created equal such was i he feeling of 
our forefathers, and such the feeling of the phi- 
*These wheels are frequently used in this couatryfor 
the purpose of raising water for lanyards. 
lanthropist of the present day. Legislation 
comes to our aid, protects our industry, and en- 
courages our enterprising spirit — she fosters the 
germ which the most brilliant talents of the 
world have watered. Sirs, the whole super- 
structure of national greatness rests upon the in- 
telligent portion ol the farming class. Is it not 
wisdom for legislation to protect hei interests 1 
Those nations whohavegiven agricultural con- 
cerns and men the highest place in public aflairs, 
who have acknowledged their worth, respected 
and protected their civil, religious and political 
rights, have been the most happiq prosperous 
and independent nations of the earth. 
Men spend whole lives in the cultivation of 
the intellect: this is well and commendable 
when used for good purpose.s. Men make at- 
tainments in every branch of business very ra- 
pidly; so rapidly that it almost taxes our cre- 
dulity to bel'eve what our eyes and facts con- 
vince us as truth. Why is it? What means 
are employed? Fiom ten thousand sources we 
hear the reply in thunder tones, application and 
experiments combined, have effected all this. 
But the experimentalist is to be .set aside as seek- 
ing self-aggrandizement, and to be looked upon 
as getting above his business. But such senti- 
ments and their supporters are soon to be for- 
gotten, while those who are fast surmounting 
these difficulties and prejudices will have a 
place in the hearts of their countrymen along- 
side Washington and kindred spirits. Theone 
leader ot the revolution of ’7G — the other leader 
of an agricultural revolution of the pre.sent age. 
One had to contend against superiority of num- 
bers and wealth— -the others against nine-tenths 
of those who are theoretically engaged in the 
same business with himself. The one was vic- 
torious, and reaped a rich reward; the others are 
destined to achieve a signal victory, and receive 
the thanks and applause of coming generations 
for the obstacles they have and are still to sur- 
mount. Their march is onward and upward. 
Men of brilliant talents and noble souls are put- 
ting hand to the work, and begging those who 
are nominally farmers, to join with them and 
help to dispel the bug-bear clouds which hang 
in imagination about the pathway of the far- 
mer. We know lull well of the effects which 
early training will exert over a person. We 
are aware that it binds all, more or less, to the 
customs and maxims of our predecessors; but 
farmers must think for themselves, or they will 
ever continue to beat the almost adamant track 
of their ancestors. 
England is mu''h in advance of us, and will 
continue to be until we take the same or similar 
steps to rival her. Has a bountilul Providence 
favored her more than us? Are her lands better 
adapted to tillage than ours ? Is her climate 
more genial to the farming inteiest? Has she 
men who are able to rival ours in profound 
thinking or useful inventions? Experience, 
history and common sense, all combine to an- 
swer no!! Yours, truly, W. S. 
Binghampton, August, 1844. 
NEW YORK AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE. 
The object ot this Institute is to afford facili- 
ties to those desirous of entering upon a course 
of study preparatory to farming, the advantage 
of which has been made evident by the research- 
es of a large number of scientific men gnd expe- 
rienced agriculturists. 
The necessity for an improved system of hus- 
bandry is apparent from the decreasing harvests 
of many parts of the sea-board States. The 
present reckless tillage of too many of our far- 
mers, reduces the finest lands to sterility by a 
succession of exhausting crops ; and emigration 
is the consequence. These evils, unless speedi- 
ly checked, will destroy our prosperity ; for the 
cultivation of grain is becoming unprofitable, 
and too great an importation of food from the 
west would in a short time absorb the resources 
of the wealthiest eastern States. The only eflhe- 
tual remedy is the improvement of cultivation ; 
not a mere application of tons of manure, and 
shiploads of lime, per acre, but their economical 
use. Common manuring has been practised 
from the remotest antiquity, and good crops have 
been obtained ; but it is the judicious addition of 
such subst'inces as are necessary to the soil, in pro- 
sper quantity, with a view of attaining a definite 
purpose, that constitutes professional apricuUure. 
To individuals, this sy.stem will prove a 
source ol wealih, even on ordinary lands. Less 
capital is required to hold the same surface, be- 
cause every acre yields a revenue: tivo or three 
crops can be taken annually, where one is now 
scarcely attainable: the heavy expenses of ma- 
nuring and keeping stock are reduced to a tri- 
fle ; and machines can be made to perform much 
ol the work now in the hands ol laborers, sus- 
tained af a heavy expense. In maintaining 
sheep and cattle, the use ol food properly pre- 
pared and selected for its chemical value, will 
reduce the charges to the lowest point, while 
the development of the animals is better secured. 
By requiring a preliminary course of studies, 
and introducing the exactness of science into 
agriculture, it will rise to the dignity of a p.ro- 
FESsioN, and be regarded as a suitable calling 
lor persons of liberal education, instead of an 
obscure art. Numbers of talented young men, 
who, after leaving college, see no other roads to 
distinction or wealth but medicine, engineering, 
law, or divinity, will direct their energies to- 
wards the improvement ol farming — a change 
not less serviceable to the art than advantageous 
to themselves ; whereby they exchange the un- 
certainty of competition in employments alrea- 
dy overstocked for the certainty of systematic 
agriculture, chemistry, analysis, and physiolo- 
gy; and measures have been taken to introduce 
a course of instruction in agricultural mechan- 
ics and rural architecture. These are distinct 
classes, so that students can attend any separate- 
ly- 
In Agriculture will be taught all lactsin chem- 
istry, geology, and botany, useful to the farmer 
— the drainage and preparation of soils — the col- 
lection, storage, and preservation of provender 
and fruits — the feeding and improvement of 
stock — management of orchards, vineyards, &c. 
— the preparation and economy of manures, both 
organic and mineral, with their action and caus- 
es of success or failure. In short, all the topics 
embraced in the courses given by Professors of 
Agriculture in European colleges, will be dis- 
cussed. 
Chemistry, as an abstract science, is taught by 
Professor Draper in the Universitv. 
Anatomy and Physiology, by Professor Patti- 
son. This course is directed more especially to 
an examination of the structure and liinctions cf 
the human body, and may be attended with 
great profit to the student. 
Analysis of Soils, the ashes of plants, and ma- 
nures, will be conducted by the students under 
the direction of the subscriber, with such assis- 
tance as may be required. 
The city of New York offers numerous ad- 
vantages in carrying out the objects ol the Insti- 
tute — the facility of access — the high cultivation 
of many farms, nurseries, &c., in the vicinity — 
the conservatories and market gardens — the 
large collections o! farming implements — the 
choice seeds obtainable — the numerous artificial 
and mineral manures that can be examined — 
constitute it the best locality in the United 
States. Good board and lodging near the Uni- 
versity can be had for from $-2,50 to $3^00 per 
week. 
The Insliiute is situated in the PTniversity of 
New York. It opens the first Monday in No- 
■ vember, and continues in session until the first 
of March. This period has been chosen forthe 
accommodation of those engaged in farming. 
Fees for the course on Agriculture, S20; for 
Analysis, $30; for both, $40. The courses on 
Agriculture and Analysis are conducted by 
D. P. Gardner, M. D., 
Formerly Prof, of Chemistry, tf-c-, in Hampden, 
Sidney College, Va. 
For further information, address, post-paid. 
Dr, Gardner, 412 Fourth-street, New York. 
Brine for .S/ieep.— When the salt is allowed 
to get wet in troughs, it will kill sheep. 
