310 
REVIEW OF THE MAY NUMBER OF THE AGRICULTURIST. 
pig-skin, or make the biggest bull without being an 
Irishman ? 
The great fault of all the premiums is, they are 
too paltry. Look at their offers for experiments on 
soiling cattle, and experiments on the value of 
manure, “ to be continued through three crops.” 
And the whole of “ $20 is offered for the most satis¬ 
factory agricultural experiment.” I might point 
out many of equal insignificance. I do this in no 
spirit of cavilling; but I certainly think the subject 
is worthy of inquiry whether the manner proposed 
is the most judicious w T ay of expending “upwards 
of $3,000 in cash.” [We think our correspondent 
a little snappish in his comments above, but shall 
make no other reply than this ; if the society had 
more funds at its command it would be more liberal.] 
Preservation and Application of Manures .—One 
of the first things that strikes my attention in this 
article would be a good subject to offer a premium 
upon. Give a premium to every farmer, or a large 
premium to that town or city which would most 
universally adopt the method here pointed out for 
saving a most valuable manure, and thereby pre¬ 
venting a most abominable nuisance. 
Culture of Peach-Trees .—The writer of this ar¬ 
ticle speaks warmly upon his feelings at reading 
the questions of an amateur, and the practical an¬ 
swers given by the editor in the January No. of this 
volume upon a kindred subject. I only speak of 
this now to call the attention, as I have before, of 
readers and writers, to this very excellent manner 
of farming communications into questions, so that 
the editor or correspondents can give plain, short, 
practical answers. W. D. gives such a plain, 
short recipe (after a rather lengthy preface), to pre¬ 
vent injury from the peach-tree worm, that I extract 
it. Here it is. “ Clear away the dirt, scrape the 
bark clean, dig out the ‘ varmint,’ and cut off his 
head.” No mistake about the value of the remedy. 
It is effectual, but not quite cheap enough to induce 
“ Amateur” to re-engage in the business. The re¬ 
cipe of “ W. D.” is equally effective in the cure of 
the yellows. “ Dig up and burn every root and 
branch”—no danger of contagion then. The re¬ 
commendation to sow buckwheat in the peach-or¬ 
chard on bearing years, I like very much; and it is 
new to me, although I have frequently seen it, but 
did not know the object. I should think, however, 
that wherever it was practicable to turn in hogs, 
that way of saving the buckwheat would be the 
most preferable. 
Letters from the South, No. 7 .—This is another 
exceedingly interesting letter. But I have a little 
fault to find with it. The writer is not careful 
enough to make all his statements plain and expli¬ 
cit. For instance, in speaking of the steamboat 
landing and wharves on Lake Ponchartrain, he goes 
right on to say, “ the centre wharf which is over 
half a mile in length, by 5 or 600 feet wide, &c., 
&c., conveys an idea to those who are unacquaint¬ 
ed with the facts, that this wharf is on the lake 
instead of the river. Facts mentioned in this letter 
confirm the opinion previously advanced in relation 
to the fearful subject of confining this great stream 
within artificial banks. While writing this article 
my eye rests upon a paragraph in a late paper relat¬ 
ing a break in the levee opposite the city of New 
Orleans. Mr. Allen says, “ it is a question which 
the future only can solve, how far this artificial re; 
straint of the waters will affect the character of the 
stream.” With me it is not a question of futurity. 
It is a question that must be agitated now and 
boldly met. Mr. A. speaks of “ Creoles” as de¬ 
scendants from the French, Spanish, Germans, and 
Americans. A very prevalent error exists in re¬ 
gard to the term “ Creole.” A great many in¬ 
telligent persons suppose them to be mixed with 
African blood. The true meaning of the term 
Creole (from the Spanish word Criollo), is “a 
name given to the descendants of whites, born in 
Mexico, South America, and the West Indies, in 
whom the European blood has been unmixed with 
other races.” I differ from Mr. A. in his opinion 
that “ he may not longer take up the columns of 
the Agriculturist with a subject not purely agricul¬ 
tural.” What subject can be more interesting to 
the readers of this paper than descriptions of an ag¬ 
ricultural country—its rivers, roads, harbors, im¬ 
provements, and commercial cities and markets for 
produce ? 
Cochin-China Fowls.-^G lad to hear you say “ in 
advance” that you cannot import any. Hope every¬ 
body else will say the same. Though they might 
be useful to dig up a new clearing among the roots: 
They are whoppers—that’s a fact. Only look at 
their feet! 
To Destroy Weeds in Gravel- Walks. —Capital 
recipe that. But it is well enough to remark to 
those who have not “ the eggs to boil for break¬ 
fast,” that it won’t make the least difference.in the 
world, provided that they faithfully follow the rest 
of the direction—the weeds shall surely die. 
Ladies’ Department. —Something about the kitchen. 
Ah! I recollect I burnt my fingers in this depart¬ 
ment not long since. I shall not do it this time. 
And I dare not enter the “ Boys’ Department,” 
for fear of that big dog. So I will go on and glean 
a little. 
Foreign Agricultural News. —“ Value of night- 
soil.” If the city of Paris derives a revenue of 
$200,000 per annum, how much might New York 
derive, if the city authorities would provide every 
place with the drawers and disinfecting agents spo¬ 
ken of in another part of this article ? 
Liquid Malt and Hops. —If this article could be 
made in this country it appears to me that it might 
well be, as people will drink the product, and with 
this extract many in the country wmuld make a more 
wholesome drink than coffee, even if it was soda - 
coffee , which would be still more healthy if the 
coffee part was all left out. 
Editor’s Table. — “ Crops of the United States for 
1846.” Here is a table that gives upwards of nine 
hundred and ten millions of bushels as the crop of 
oats, rice, barley, rye, wheat, and Indian corn, 
the product of the last year. This, to a population 
of twenty millions, is about forty-five bushels to 
each man, woman, and child, besides buckwheat, 
beans, peas, potatoes, and other roots. It is truly 
an enormous supply. Well may we feed the 
starving out of such a surplus. Though it will be 
inquired whether it is possible that we do actually 
raise this enormous quantity of human food, be¬ 
sides butter, cheese, meat, fruit, and sugar, in other 
enormous quantities. Let us stop and contemplate. 
Reviewer, 
