AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
89 
CUTTING STRAW, &C., FOR MANURE, 
ft hardly seems necessary at this late day, 
to offer a word in reference to the advantages 
of using a cutting machine for all kinds of 
coarse food, such as straw, cornstalks, hay, 
&c. To say nothing of the economy of cut 
feed, we should recommend cutting up the 
coarser materials designed merely as bedding 
for animals, and especially that thrown into 
the yards. Where this is done, the manure 
is much more readily rotted, while it can be 
spread upon the land with far greater facility 
and uniformity. This point is not generally 
considered sufficiently. Manure while rot¬ 
ting in the yard is constantly losing some 
part of its most valuable elements, and yet 
long straw can not be well incorporated with 
the soil until it is thoroughly decomposed. 
But by cutting it short it can be well distribu¬ 
ted even without any previous rotting, and 
then the elements escaping during decom¬ 
position are retained by the soil for the use 
of growing plants. 
But this by the way. We commenced 
this writing to answer the question so very 
often asked of us, viz: “ What is the best 
cutting implement in market 1” There are 
so many of these, that are good, and so 
many new modifications constantly coming 
out, that we seldom answer this question. 
At the present time the machine illustrated 
by the cut above seems to be one of the best, 
if not the best. Its main features are sim¬ 
plicity and durability, combined with rapidity 
of working. There are two knives some¬ 
what spiral set opposite to each other on the 
shaft, bearing the balance-wheel and crank. 
Upon the shaft above this are two sets of 
spiral clamps, between which are placed 
pieces of raw-hide. As the handle is turned 
the edge of the raw-hide comes against the 
knife, the two draw in the straw or stalks 
and cut them off' at any desired length. 
There is no complicated machinery to get out 
of repair. The chief wear is upon the raw- 
hide, but even this is so strongly clasped by 
the clamps as to wear very slowly ; and 
where the edge wears down, a new portion 
can be raised up by turning a couple of 
screws. When the raw-hide wears out en¬ 
tirely, a nesv fiat piece can be put in and ad¬ 
justed in a few moments. The machine 
works very rapidly and perfectly, and is 
coming into general use, especially among 
the stable keepers in this city ; We have 
not compared the cost of Gale’s cutters with 
others, but the prices for these—$12 to $20— 
are, we think, rather below other machines 
of equal or less capacity. 
Ground Oats. —Alate number of the Amer¬ 
ican Veterinary Journal contains the follow¬ 
ing article on the value of ground oats : 
Ground oats furnish more nutriment, and 
keep the bowels in better condition, than 
when served out whole. By grinding the 
oats we separate them into a myriad of par¬ 
ticles, and present them to the gastric sol¬ 
vents in a form calculated to secure their 
speedy digestion—in fact, they are in a con¬ 
dition favorable to speedy insalivation. 
Ground oats are more nutritious than 
whole , for the same reason that flour is more 
so than unground wheat. 
Ground oats contain more of the nitro¬ 
genous, or flesh-making principle, than any 
other kind of horse food ; at the same time 
they furnish a mixture of coarse and fine 
food—the husks of the oats constitute the 
first, and meal the latter. The coarse mate¬ 
rial serves to keep the bowels in a soluble 
condition—irritate and excite the mucous 
coat, and thus obviate the necessity for dras¬ 
tic medicine. This kind of food is decidedly 
the healthiest for working horses. They 
require, however, a certain quantity of sweet 
hay, in view of distending the stomach to a 
healthy capacity. 
Manure Heaps. —One of our foreign ex¬ 
changes, has a communication from Mr. 
Robert Austin, Manchester, who says that 
upwards of a tun of horse dung is produced 
in his stables daily, and the usual offensive 
odor and evaporation from it entirely pre¬ 
vented by sprinkling over the dung heap, by 
means of an ordinary water can, a solution 
of a pound of common green copperas in a 
gallon of water. 
TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW-JERSEY. 
The State Agricultural Society has now 
been in existence for nearly one year. Its 
origin was in the desire which manifested 
itself in various sections of our State for an 
organization similar to those which were 
producing such beneficial results in other 
States, and its objects were the exhibition of 
our actual condition, the more thorough de¬ 
velopment of our resources, and the discov- 
every and application of such means as 
would most benefit New-Jersey, especially 
through the Agricultural and Manufacturing 
interests. 
In fulfilment of these objects, the officers 
have endeavored to present the Society in its 
true light to their fellow citizens. Aware of 
the slanderous accusations so freely uttered 
against this State, they had prepared a statis¬ 
tical statement, in which from authentic 
sources were presented undeniable facts to 
refute mischievous error, and which, in its 
wide circulation, gave to the people what at 
once instructed and interested. Seeds, doc¬ 
uments, &c., have been freely circulated, 
but the first Exhibition of the Society, has 
been emphatically the feature of their opera¬ 
tions. No one visited the Fair at Camden 
having the least interest in our present con¬ 
dition or future advancement, but was im¬ 
pressed with its importance and triumphant 
results. It was the first effort, and made 
amid discouraging circumstances, but it was 
successful. The people of New-Jersey were 
brought together; new implements, seeds 
and processes were placed under personal 
inspection ; opinions were advanced, senti¬ 
ments exchanged, and the basis for more ex¬ 
tensive usefulness securely laid. 
Thus much has been accomplished, but it 
is desired to still further increase the bene¬ 
fits of the Society. It is intended to estab¬ 
lish correspondence and exchanges with the 
societies of other States and Countries, and 
to glean from them the fullest possible infor¬ 
mation which shall tend to the advancement 
of Agricultural interests; the same to be 
freely and widely disseminated. County or¬ 
ganizations and Farmers’ Clubs should be 
established, and those means be employed 
which shall best promote the interchange of 
ideas, and the circulation of practical and 
profitable knowledge. 
In this work the influence and cooperation 
of all, is requested. The payment of one 
dollar constitutes one a member for the cur¬ 
rent year, entitling a person to all its ad¬ 
vantages, admission to Fair, &c. Will not 
the reader become a member, or if already 
such, endeavor to excite an interest in his 
vicinity in behalf of this useful Society 1 Jer- 
seymen must respect such a cause ! 
The Annual Meeting will be held at Tren¬ 
ton, on the 3d Tuesday of January, 1856, 
(15th.)—Col. B. P. Johnson, of the New- 
York State Agricultural Society, will deliver 
an address on the occasion. All are respect¬ 
fully invited to attend. 
On behalf of the Executive Board, 
.1. II. Frazer, Cor. Secretary. 
flggp Newspapers throughout New-Jersey 
are respectfully requested to insert the 
above. 
