AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
361 
For the American Agriculturist. 
PLANTING POTATOES, 
als except those marked with a *. The 
names of most of the metals end in um. 
[This table should be carefully preserved 
for future reference.] 
TABLE OF ALL KNOWN 
ELEMENTARY SUBSTANCES. 
Name. 
Symbol. 
Comparative 
weight of 
1 
^Hydrogen 
H 
atoms. 
1 
2 
*Carbon 
C 
0 
3 
* Oxygen 
O 
8 
4 
^Nitrogen 
N 
14 
5 *Sulphur 
S 
16 
6 ^Phosphorous 
P 
32 
7 
*Chlorine 
Cl 
35.42 
8 
Siliciura 
Si 
21.35 
9 
Aluminum 
A1 
13.68 
10 
Calcium 
Ca 
20.00 
11 
Potassium 
K 
39.20 
12 
Sodium 
Na 
23.00 
13 
Magnesium 
Mg 
12.10 
14 
Iron 
Fe 
28.00 
15 
Manganese 
Mn 
27.57 
16 
Antimony 
Sb 
64.52 
17 
Aridium 
Ar 
18 
Arsenic 
As 
76.00 
19 
Barium 
Ba 
68.67 
SO 
*Boron 
B 
10.88 
21 
Bismuth 
Bi 
106.40 
22 
^Bromine 
Br 
78.26 
23 
Cadmium 
Cd 
55.74 
24 
Cerium 
Ce 
47.26 
25 
Chromium 
Cr 
26.24 
26 
Cobalt 
Co 
29.52 
27 
Copper 
Cu 
31.65 
28 
Didymium 
Di 
49.60 
29 
Erbium 
Er 
30 
*Fluorine 
F 
18.83 
31 
Glueinum 
G 
6.97 
32 
Gold 
Au 
98.22 
33 
^Iodine 
I 
125.33 
34 
Ilmenium 
11 
35 
Iridium 
Ir 
98.66 
36 
Lanthanum 
La 
47.04 
37 
Lead 
Pb 
103.56 
38 
Lithium 
L 
6.43 
39 
Mercury 
Hg 
100.00 
40 
Molybdenum 
Mo 
47.12 
41 
Niobium 
Nb 
42 
Nickel 
Ni 
29.57 
43 
Norium 
No 
44 
Osmium 
Os 
99.53 
45 
Palladium 
Pd 
53.22 
46 
Pelopium 
Pe 
47 
Platinum 
Pt 
98.56 
48 
Rhodium 
Rh 
52.17 
49 
Ruthenium 
Ru 
51.68 
50 
^Selenium 
Se 
39.28 
51 
Silver 
Ag 
108.00 
52 
Strontium 
Sr 
43.84 
53 
Tantalum 
Ta 
185.00 
54 
Tellurium 
Te 
64.52 
55 
Terbium 
Tr 
56 
Thorium 
Th 
99.51 
57 
Tin 
Sn 
58.82 
58 
Titanum 
Te 
25.47 
59 
Tungsten 
Tu 
92.00 
60 
Uranium 
U 
60.00 
61 
Vanadium 
V 
68.46 
62 
Yttrium 
Y 
32.20 
63 
Zinc 
Zn 
32.53 
64 
Zirconium 
Zr 
33.60 
58. By the above table we learn that there 
are only 64 kinds of atoms known, and that 
52 of these are metals. Of several of these, 
such as Aridium, Erbium, Ilmenium, Niobi¬ 
um, Norium, Pelopium, Terbium, Thorium, 
&e., only very minute quantities have ever 
been found, while of many others but little 
has been found. Two of them, Osmium and 
Iridium, are used to form the hard points 
upon gold pens, and so rare are these that 
we have known a single pound sold for more 
than a thousand dollars. Others are more 
abundant. If we examine the composition 
of the whole world, we shall find more than 
one half of it to be Oxygen. 
We shall in the present seiies only exam¬ 
ine the more important of these elements— 
those given in the first division of the table. 
From the Massachusetts Plowmati. 
AMERICAN HERD BOOK. 
L. F. Allen, Esq.,ofNew-York, proposes to 
publish a large book of this kind, embracing 
all the lots of Durham Short Horns that have 
been imported into this country. He pro¬ 
poses to give an account of Durhams only— 
while in New-England and in some of the 
middle States the North Devons and the Al- 
derneys are much preferred for the dairy. 
The Ayrshires, too, are a noted breed. If 
Mr. Allen means to do no more than to re¬ 
commend a particular breed of cattle, let him 
advertise, as other men do, and not profess 
what he does not intend to accomplish. 
“An American Herdbook” should treat of 
more than one species of blood stock. 
Were it not for the ill-natured fling con¬ 
tained in the above paragraph, the conceited 
ignorance which it betrays would pass un¬ 
noticed. Before the author of it proceeds 
further in his amiable criticisms he had bet¬ 
ter ascertain what a “ Herdbook” is, for it is 
certain he knows nothing about it or its ob¬ 
jects. 
As to my attempt to sponge an “advertise¬ 
ment” through the columns of the Plowman, 
the charge is quite as gratuitous as the cour¬ 
tesy of its expression is singular. In this it 
happily stands alone in the ranks of the ag¬ 
ricultural press. Several widely-circulating 
and influential papers, beside those to whom it 
was first sent, have solicited the publication 
of my Circular on the terms which it pro¬ 
posed ; while others, unasked, have gratu¬ 
itously given it a notice—presuming, in their 
simplicity that it might benefit their readers. 
The superior sagacity of the Plowman may 
pass at its value. The “ Herdbook” will go 
on. 
Two volumes of a Devon Herd Book 
have already been published in England, 
containing the pedigrees of American as well 
as English cattle. The learned editor of the 
Plowman seems to be ignorant of the exist¬ 
ence of these volumes. There is also, I 
believe, a Hereford Herd Book published. 
Lewis F. Allen. 
Galls from the Harness or Saddle.— 
Major Long, in his valuable account of his 
expedition to the Rocky Mountains, says, 
that his party found white lead moistened 
with milk to succeed better than any thing 
else in preventing the bad effects of the galls 
on the horses’ back, in their march over the 
plains that border the mountains. Its effect 
in smoothing or soothing the irritated and 
inflamed surface was admirable. 
Ameriitm Farmer, 
It is the settled conviction of the writer, 
that New-York farmers ought to plant more 
potatoes than we have for a few years past, 
notwithstanding the liability of losing a 
share of them by the rot. For when the 
disease prevails, unless there is a large quan¬ 
tity planted, an uncomfortable scarcity is the 
consequence ; and if the crop is good and 
sound, they are one of the most profitable 
crops—apples excepted—the northern far¬ 
mer can raise to feed to stock of most kinds; 
so that we cannot go amiss in putting in a 
good supply. 
The principal object of this communica¬ 
tion is, to suggest a few thoughts in regard 
to their cultivation. 
Plant three or four different varieties. I 
have, for several years, observed that in one 
season, one or two kinds will do tolerably 
well, while others nearly fail; and, perhaps, 
the next year some other varieties will do 
the best. But particular pains should be 
taken to keep the varieties unmixed, forthey 
will yield better, and are more convenient to 
cook ; as all kinds do not require the same 
time to boil; and if for market, will sell bet 
ter. Another thing I have observed is, that 
frequently late planted potatoes yield much 
better than early planted ones. But these 
are exceptions and not the rule Therefore, 
to make as sure as possible of getting enough, 
it is best to have two or three plantings. 
The largest quantity should be planted 
early, and, as a general thing, the earlier the 
better; but do not neglect to putina little 
patch the fore part of June, for a reserve in 
case the early planting should fail. 
Different methods of planting and cultiva¬ 
tion are worthy of attention. For in the 
varying seasons of our climate, what may 
be the best method one year, may entirely 
fail the next; and we know not what the 
season will be, wet or dry, cold or hot, until 
we have passed through it, and it is then 
too late to adapt our system to the season. 
At another time 1 may give what I consider 
some of the best methods of cultivation. 
M. 
HOW TO FEED STOCK ECONOMICALLY. 
The due preparation of food for stock is an 
important matter. Hundreds of experiments 
have established, beyond all doubt, the fact 
that all sorts of provender, when finely di¬ 
vided, goes a great deal further than when 
fed in its coarse, natural state. Rough food 
of every description, not excepting the best 
of hay, should invariably be chopped up into 
pieces not exceeding an inch and a quarter 
in length. This is the uniform practice of 
all good farmers in Great Britain, Belgium, 
Germany, &c., and of all the best stock feed¬ 
ers in our northern States, and no fact 
in agriculture, perhaps, is better established 
than its paramount importance. It is de¬ 
sirable and proper at all times, but partic¬ 
ularly and emphatically so in seasons of 
scarcity; and the use of machinery, of the 
fast hay and straw cutters now in use,dimin¬ 
ishes the labor of the thing so greatly as to 
make the plan a feasible one to every farm¬ 
er. Wetting, or even thoroughly soaking 
this species of provender, before feeding, is 
found to enhance its value. 
Corn, too, and every sort of grain, should 
be ground before it is given to the animals. 
Not merely crushed, but ground into fine 
meal. In this condition only can it be used 
to the best advantage, according to the expe¬ 
rience of the best farmers of the day. The 
proper plan is to mix it with the cut food 
above described, and it is important that it 
should be fine enough to adhere to it when 
wet. The rough food and the meal thus pre- 
