CORN MARKER.-FAT SHEEP.-FARM OF MR. ROBINSON, ETC. 
Ill 
CORN MARKER. 
We are under obligation to Mr. Leavenworth for 
the above sketch of his corn marker, which for drill¬ 
ing or furrowing out for planting corn, potatoes, or 
other seed, will do the work of half a dozen plows, 
it may be constructed of any required width, from 3 
feet to 30, or more if wished, and with or without 
wheels, and double as shown in the cut, or single if 
preferred. Wheels make it move easier and steadier. 
The teeth or markers may be set any distance apart. 
We think farmers will find this a great labor-saving 
machine; and it is better to plant upon the soil ra¬ 
ther than in the furrow, as the bottom of this is more 
or less hardened by the plow. 
The head of the corn planter is made of two pieces 
of H inch plank, any required length, and 6 inches 
wide, riveted or pinned together, leaving a space 1| 
inches between them. The teeth are set in this space 
as near as desired, and secured by keys. Six rows 
2 feet apart, or four rows 3 feet apart, may be marked 
out with ease, by a single horse. The marker may be 
made lighter for garden work, and be drawn by hand. 
Marking Teeth. — Fig. 27. 
One of these teeth presents a side and the other a 
front view. A strip of hoop iron is put on the end, 
which makes them wear much longer, o, tooth ; b, 
by head; c, key; d, tenon of the tooth fits in between 
the head; e, mortice for the key. 
To Prevent Birds and Squirrels Destroying 
Corn.— Soak the seed half a day or so previous to 
planting in a moderately strong solution of saltpetre 
and copperas, and dry it with ashes, plaster or lime 
sprinkled over it. This preparation will effectually 
guard the seed from birds and squirrels, and give the 
corn blade, after germinating, a rapid 6tart, 
FAT SHEEP. 
Major Philip Reybold recently sent a very fine lot 
of fifty fat sheep to this market, principally of high 
grade Leicesters, varying from three-fourths to seven- 
eighths blood. Thirty head of these sheep were we¬ 
thers, and twenty of them were ewes. The live 
weight of the wethers was 5,889 lbs.; the dead weight, 
3,241 lbs., exclusive of the pelts ; making a difference 
of 2,648 lbs., or within a fraction of 45 per cent. The 
largest wether weighed, alive, 292 lbs., the smallest, 
180 lbs. The largest weighed, dead, 180 lbs. ; the 
smallest 92 lbs. The live weight of the ewes was 
2,893 lbs.; the deadweight, 1,432 lbs.; making a 
difference of 1,461 lbs., or a fraction over 50 per cent. 
The reader must not draw a conclusion in favor of the 
wethers in consequence of their losing less per cent., 
dead weight, as the ewes were several years the 
oldest, and consequently did not fat so kindly. The 
wethers were all two years old past. The largest 
ewe weighed alive, 182 lbs. ; the smallest, 127 lbs. 
The largest weighed dead, 84 lbs.; the smallest 60 
lbs. The butcher in this city contracted to pay 12& 
cents per lb., dead weight, for the lot, delivered at 
Philadelphia, keeping the pelts for which they paid 
nothing. These averaged $1 77 each. 
It was a very fine lot of sheep and did their breeder 
great credit. They were shown in Wall and several 
other of our streets a few days before being slaugh¬ 
tered, and were greatly admired, even by the money 
changers, who no doubt gladly parted with some of 
their cash for the mutton, and lor once, themselves, got 
fleeced. The Hon. Daniel Webster at the same time 
was staying at the Astor House, and took the pains 
to walk up to the butcher’s stall and choose one. We 
understand that Messrs. Colman & Stetson served 
this up in their best style, and, after dining a knot 
of political aspirants upon it, they united in a sto¬ 
mach-felt and patriotic toast to modern as well as 
ancient Greece (grease). But the best of the finale 
was, that Mr. Reybold carried home a pocket full 
of cash, and felt amply remunerated for his trouble 
FARM OF MR. ROBINSON. 
Returning from the State Agricultural Society 
show at Poughkeepsie, last September, we stopped 
over night at Newburg, and early the next morning 
walked out about a mile and a half to the farm of 
Capt. Henry Robinson. 
This comprises 260 acres, and is part of an ele¬ 
vated plateau rising gradually from the Hudson. The 
farm is under a good state of cultivation, and is de¬ 
voted principally to the dairy; the veteran Captain 
keeping upward of 40 head of noble cows, a high 
cross of Durham. He informed us that he had 
taken great pains when he first commenced operations 
there several years ago, to endeavor to procure a 
stock of superior native milkers ; but with all hris trou¬ 
ble and care in choosing, he got so often disappoint¬ 
ed that he at length gave the matter up in despair, 
and took to crossing with a good Short Horn bull. 
The result of this is, that he has a choice herd now 
of fine formed animals, nearly every one of which is 
a superior dairy cow; and when dried off they will 
fat kindly, and make a superior butcher’s beast, so 
that he reaps a double profit in consequence of hav. 
ing improved his herd. These he keeps principally 
on the soiling system, allowing them to have a suffi¬ 
cient run in a lot near by the barn to give them ex 
