288 
WOOL-GROWING IN WESTERN NEW YORK LANDS.-ETC. 
may be subdivided into genera, founded on the pre¬ 
vailing earths, salts, metals, or carbon; the genera 
into species founded on their different mixtures; 
the species into varieties founded on color, texture, 
&c. ; and sub-varieties founded on moisture, dry¬ 
ness, richness, lightness, &c. 
Plants are the most certain indicators of the na¬ 
ture of a soil; for while no practical cultivator 
would engage with land of which he knew only 
the results of a chemical analysis, or examined by 
the sight and touch a few bushels which were 
brought to him, yet every gardener or farmer, who 
knew the sorts of plants it produced naturally, 
would be at once able to decide as to its value for 
cultivation. For example, the garget and striped 
maple are generally found on a warm, loamy soil; 
the rush on a clayey soil; the mullein and sorrel 
on a dry, sandy soil; and the cranberry on a peaty 
soil. But these plants, however, are not to be ab¬ 
solutely depended upon, as they are sometimes 
found in soils directly opposite ; as climate and na¬ 
tural irrigation have much more influence on these 
plants than mere soils. 
The remaining natural agents of vegetable cul¬ 
ture, I shall treat of in another number; and shall 
here close the subject of earths and soils by stating 
that, according to the chemical analysis of Berg¬ 
man, the soil best suited for the culture of most 
vegetables, contains four parts of clay, three of 
sand, two of calcareous earth, and one of magnesia. 
L. T. Talbot. 
WOOL-GROWING IN WESTERN NEW YORK 
LANDS. 
I am gfad to see so much interest manifested in 
our Western New York lands. They are not pro¬ 
perly appreciated. There is no better grazing land 
in any state, or situations more healthful or plea¬ 
sant. All that “ Western” says on the subject is 
true, as I know from my own experience. We 
have two small farms lying upon the high land, back 
of our main farm, and upon the Genesee slate, 
which underlies the most, indeed, nearly all of 
this section of the country. When it came into 
our possession, some twelve years ago, it had been 
worn out, as the owner supposed. We stocked 
down all that was under the plow, and have used 
it for a sheep-walk and meadow ever since. The 
land that with difficulty carried three sheep to the 
acre, will now carry six well, and serve better than 
it did three at first. There are thousands of acres 
which can be purchased at from $6 to $12 per acre 
—that 40 acres will carry 100 sheep well, both 
summer and winter, anu after a few years the same 
can be done on 30 acres. I can pick out a great 
many farms with good buildings, and the land very 
fairly fenced and cultivated, that it is safe to calcu¬ 
late 300 sheep to every 100 acres of cleared land, 
which can be bought for $10 and $12 per acre. 
To make it profitable, no man should undertake 
without adequate capital. A man wants at least 
1,000 acres, and the money to stock it, and enough 
to carry it on for a year, without looking to the 
avails of the farm. Thus situated, with a good 
flock of sheep, and a few breeding mares, he can be 
about as independent a farmer as need be. Indeed, 
none can b< more so in any country. 
To show what might be done, I have made a 
few figures, which I believe will be found to fall 
below rather than exceed the net profits to be de¬ 
rived by judicious management. Jn most instances 
the figures are from my own experience. 
1,000 acres, say $10 per acre, 
2,009 sheep, $1 per head (high) 
10 breeding mares, $75, 
Waggons, harnesses, tools, &c., 
- $ 10,000 
2,000 
750 
300 
Capital invested, - 
Loose change, say, 
- $13,050 
1,000 
Total capital, 
- $14,050 
Expenses. 
Interest on capital—say, - - - $1,000 
2 hired men per year, and board, - - 400 
Extra hired help in haying and harvest, 200 
$1,600 
Receipts. 
Wool of sheep, 
- $2,000 
Increase, - 
700 
10 colts, - 
500 
$3,200 
It would thus appear that a 
man can realize at 
least 11 per cent, for his capital and time, with the 
utmost ease. 
In making the estimate, I have allowed 300 acres 
for w T ood land and waste, about the usual quantity 
on that number of acres. This could be diminished 
by at least 100 acres, and adding at least $300 per 
annum more to the income. I divide the cleared 
land; 420 pasture, 210 meadow, and 70 grain. If 
the manure made by the sheep and horses is pro¬ 
perly returned to the land, both the meadow and 
grain land may be decreased, or the flock increased. 
Twelve tons of hay for 100 sheep is an ample 
allowance for the winter. If fed on grain they will 
not eat so much. Ten tons of hay and 50 bushels 
of corn would winter a flock of 100 in the very best 
manner. I have allowed 20 acres of pasture, 10 of 
meadow, and 3 for grain, for every 100 sheep 
Eight acres for meadow is sufficient, for there is 
little meadow land in that section that will not 
average at 11 tons to the acre, and two acres of 
grain is all that need be given. I have not there¬ 
fore overstocked the farm. An active enterprising 
man could realize as much from his capital here as 
in any other section of the Union. 
I am really glad you are closing that sheep con¬ 
troversy. Like Mr. Bingham, I rejoice in all real 
improvement of sheep. But let the public have 
some other proof than the “ guessing” of owners 
about heavy fleeces, and all that kind of “ gammon.” 
Mr. Bingham takes the true course, and I venture 
to say will have but few competitors. 
Darien, July 4, 1846. T. C. Peters. 
Feeding Large Dogs in Town. —I would ad¬ 
vise horse’s flesh, or bullock’s liver, well boiled, to 
be given once a day, from 1 lb. to l^lbs., according 
to the size of the animal. Potatoes, or odd pieces 
of bread, soaked in the liquor that the mea< has 
been previously boiled in, may be given for br eak¬ 
fast. The dog must have a constant supply of 
good water ; he ought not to be fed more than 
twice a day. W althamstow- 
