GESTATION OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS.—PLASTER NEAR SALT WATER.—THIRD VOLUME OF THE AM. AG. 297 
but if the public ever catches us attempting to lead 
the country astray in a thing of so much impor¬ 
tance as recommended above, they are welcome 
to lay on as much as they please—they shall 
never hear us complain or beg for sympathy. 
PERIOD OF GESTATION OF DOMESTIC 
ANIMALS. 
It is very important to farmers to know the 
length of time that different animals go with 
young. We accordingly give the period of those 
which most concern him as near as we can ascer¬ 
tain it. 
Mare - - 11 months. 
Jennet - - - - 11 “ 
Cow .... 9 “ 
Goat - - - - “ 
Ewe - 5 " 
Sow - . - - 4 “ 
Bitch - 2 “ 
Cat - - - - 8 weeks. 
Rabbit - - - 4| “ 
Rat - - - 5 to 6 “ 
Mouse - - - 4 “ 5 “ 
Guinea Pig - - 3 “ 
Period of Incubation of Domestic Fowls. 
Swan 
Turkey 
Goose 
Duck 
Pea-Hen 
Guinea-Hen 
Common Hen 
Pigeon 
- 6 
- 4 
- 4 
- 4 
- 4 
- 3 
- 3 
- 2 
weeks. 
GOOD EFFECTS OF PLASTER NEAR SALT 
WATER. 
It is generally contended by writers, that lands 
within 30 miles of the sea, or any large body of 
salt water, are not benefited by the use of plaster; 
and taking these assertions for our authority, we 
so believed till we made a visit to the farm of Mr. 
William K. Townsend of New Haven, lying di¬ 
rectly on the Sound, and gradually sloping to it, 
and of course under the direct influence of sea 
breezes and sea exhalations. Mr. Townsend sows 
at the rate of from one to three bushels of plaster 
per acre on his grass-land, and the effects are 
nearly if not quite as apparent as any we have 
witnessed in the interior of the country. Several 
experiments have been made here by sowing a 
breadth of land, and then skip a breadth, and so 
continuing till the whole field was gone over. 
At the time of cutting the hay on those breadths 
where the plaster was sown, the grass was not 
only thicker and taller, but finer, and apparently 
of a sweeter and better quality. The after-math 
or rowen showed the same difference in an emi¬ 
nent degree. 
A practical result of this kind shows that the 
theory of saline vapors combining with the plas¬ 
ter, and making it inoperative is at fault; and 
chemists- must now seek some other cause than 
this, to convince us that lands close to the vicini¬ 
ty of salt water are not benefited by the use of 
plaster. Such land as lies so near the sea as to 
be continually saturated by the spray of the surf 
beating upon the shore, may not be benefited by 
the use of plaster; for by the excess of salt, they 
become almost entirely barren ; but those a little 
removed from the ocean, it is proved by the ex¬ 
periment of Mr. Townsend, can be improved by 
the application of it. We hope others may be 
induced to try experiments of the use of plaster, 
especially by sowing it in the fall, and early in 
the spring, followed by a wet as well as a dry 
summer. Plaster requires about 500 parts of wa¬ 
ter to dissolve it ,* a wet season following the sow¬ 
ing of it, would therefore be the fairest test of its 
efficacy. (a 
THIRD VOLUME OF THE AMERICAN 
AGRICULTURIST. 
Two more numbers, which will be issued on 
the 1st and 15th of next month, will complete 
the Second Volume of this paper; and on the 1st 
of January, we shall commence Volume Third. 
For this, we have many things in store, of which 
we shall speak hereafter. The present handsome 
and convenient form, high, national character, and 
cheap price of the American Agriculturist, will 
continue to be maintained. It has received the 
sanction of the public in an eminent degree; and 
its steady , increasing circulation, is an ample guar¬ 
antee of the future. During October, we had an 
addition of upward of 300 to our subscription list, 
nearly every one of which ordered the work from 
the commencement of the first volume. No¬ 
vember, so far, is equally promising, and in addi¬ 
tion to this, our average sales the past season have 
been over 100 bound copies of Volume I. per month. 
We will venture to say, that this, when it is con¬ 
sidered we are so near the close of our volume, is 
unexampled in agricultural periodical literature; 
and we have no doubt that the list of subscribers 
to Volume Third will be the largest of any in the 
Union. The American Agriculturist took its stand 
from the first, as unrivalled in point of practical 
knowledge and general ability; and as it begun, 
so it has kept on, with the added knowledge and 
improvements of the day, and thus will it continue 
