292 
editors’ table. 
(gbifera’ ®abU. 
Transactions of the N. Y. State Agricultural 
Society, with an Abstract of the Proceedings of the 
County Agricultural Societies, for 1848.—This annual 
and welcome visitor has just been received, fraught, 
as usual, with a treasure of knowledge, which cannot 
fail to instruct the practical farmer, as well as all 
interested in the culture of the soil. The volume is 
handsomely illustrated with one colored plate and 
numerous engravings on wood. It is swelled much 
beyond its usual size, containing 975 pages, in conse¬ 
quence of two long articles, one on the “ Analysis of 
Indian Corn,” by J. H. Salisbury, and the other the 
first part of “ A Historical, Topographical, and Agri¬ 
cultural Survey of the County of Washington,” by Dr. 
Asa Fitch. The latter, thus far, however authentic it 
may be in its compilation, or interesting in its charac¬ 
ter to local readers, appears better suited for the Trans¬ 
actions of the Historical Society, than for a work like 
the present. The second part, which will probably 
be inserted in the next volume, it is hoped will be 
more to the purpose. The other articles particularly 
worthy of perusal are those on Fruits, Field Crops, 
Domestic Animals, Dairies, and the Drainage of Lands. 
Death of Alexander Walsh. —This distinguish¬ 
ed and ardent friend of agriculture and horticulture 
died at his residence, in Lansingburgh, N. Y., on the 
4th of August, in the 67th year of his age. He was 
for many years an active and energetic merchant in 
the county of Rensselaer, and was one of the earliest 
promoters of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, in 
which he held an office until his death. 
Death of Elias Phinney. —Elias Phinney, of Lex¬ 
ington, Mass., died on the 24th of July, at the age 
of 70 years. Mr. Phinney has for many years been 
distinguished* in Massachusetts as a scientific and 
practical agriculturist. His farm was an object of 
curiosity to travellers, scarcely less than the monu¬ 
ment to the first martyrs of the Revolution. By his 
enterprise and skill, it had been converted from a 
hard, stony, and sandy estate, into a succession of 
blooming orchards, extensive meadows, and luxurious 
fields. He had devoted great attention to the improve¬ 
ment of domestic animals of every description, and 
with remarkable success. His experiments in trans¬ 
forming peat swamps into fertile meadow land, by a 
judicious system of draining, were eminently success¬ 
ful, and have contributed in no small degree to the 
advancement of agriculture in Massachusetts. He 
also had the charge and management of the celebrated 
stock, imported a few years since by that state. 
Cholera among Horses and Hogs. —The Cincin¬ 
nati papers state that hogs, and even horses in the 
streets, have been smitten with the cholera, and died. 
Mr. Crutchfield, living about fifty miles below that 
city, lost fifty of his hogs in a single night, which 
apparently suffered great pain, with continued cramps 
and spasms. 
Fine Wool. —We have received from Mr. John D. 
Patterson, of Westfield, Chatauque county, N. Y., sam¬ 
ples of wool which do great credit to him as a breeder. 
The first is from a buck one year old. The fleece 
weighed, well washed and then dried, 14 lbs. 8 oz., 
and is of the finest quality of Merino. The second 
sample approaches the Saxon for fineness. This was 
taken from the fleece of a ewe one year old, weighing 
10 lbs. 10 oz. In addition to yielding so large a fleece, 
this young ewe has bred a lamb. These sheep were 
purchased of Mr. Taintor, of Hartford, Connecticut, 
of whose importations we have several times spoken 
in the Agriculturist. Had we not seen the parents of 
Mr. Patterson’s Merinos, we could have scarcely be¬ 
lieved it possible for yearling sheep to produce such 
large fleeces and of so fine a quality. But seeing is 
believing ; and if any one is disposed to doubt Mr. P.’s 
statement, let him call on him or Mr. Taintor, and he 
will soon be convinced that the whole has not yet been 
told concerning these magnificent sheep. 
Live-Stock Insurance Company. —A company 
has been organized in Connecticut, having their office 
in New Haven, for the insurance of “live stock.” 
This is the first effort to protect, in this country, a 
class of subjects heretofore overlooked. The design 
was derived from the system of insurance prevailing 
so extensively in England, also in France and other 
parts of continental Europe, where the insurance of 
live stock presents an important feature in the influ¬ 
ences which have contributed so largely in furnishing 
the various and superior qualities. 
Large Timothy.—W e have received a sample of 
Timothy, just in flower, from Mr. Stephen J. Thomp¬ 
son, of Oakington, near Havre de Grace, Maryland, 
which measures five and a half feet in height, with 
heads fourteen and a half inches in length ! 
Manufacture of McCormick’s Virginia Reap¬ 
ers. —This extensive establishment, owned by Messrs. 
McCormick, Ogden & Co., at Chicago, Illinois, is car¬ 
ried on in a brick building 40 by 190 feet, one half two 
two stories, and the other half three stories high. The 
machinery is driven by a highly finished engine of 30- 
horse power, giving motion and efficiency to three 
planing machines, four circular and two uniright saws, 
two wood lathes, seven iron lathes, three boring ma¬ 
chines, machinery for cutting key seats in cart wheels, 
and a fan for blowing blacksmiths’ fires. Between 
120 and 130 men are employed in the establishment. 
We are informed that 500,000 feet of ash lumber, 150 
tons of wrought iron and 250 tons of castings are used 
annually. Since the first of last October, 1,500 reap¬ 
ers have been built and sold at a value of $180,000. 
With only one man to rake and a boy to drive, it is said 
that this machine cuts from 15 to 20 acres a day, de¬ 
positing the grain in gavels ready for binding, and 
leaving no scattered heads on the field. The reapers 
manufactured at this establishment are sold in all the 
western states, but the demand is .not fully supplied. 
A Cheap Substitute for a Vapor Bath. —Take 
a piece of lime about half the size of your closed hand/ 
and wrap around it a wet cloth sufficiently wrung/to 
prevent water running from it. A dry cloth is fu be 
several times wrapped around this ; place one of these 
packets on each side, and by both thighs, (a few inches 
from them,) of the patient; an abundant humid heat 
is soon developed by the action of the water on the 
lime, which quickly induces copious perspiration, the 
effect lasting for two hours at least. When sweating 
is fully established, the lime may be withdrawn, which 
is now reduced to a powder. In this way, neither co¬ 
pious drinks nor loading the bed with covering is 
required.— Gazette Medicate. 
Munificent Bequest. —The late Mr. Theodore 
Lyman has bequeathed a legacy of $50,000 to the Re¬ 
form School, at Westborough, Mass., of which he was 
the founder. He has also given $10,000 to the Boston 
Farm School, of which he has been an active officer 
for several years, and $10,000 to the Massachusetts 
Horticultural Society, in whose labors he always took 
a deep interest. 
Effect of Salt on Wheat. —Some of our readers 
may recollect that last fall we mentioned an experi¬ 
ment made by Mr. John Park, of Gates, by sowing a 
barrel of salt to the acre upon a summer fallow. The 
ground was plowed once the preceding fall, again 
in May, and salt sowed thereon as above, and after¬ 
wards plowed twice before seeding. On the 1st 
and 2d of September, wheat was sown, two bushels 
to the acre. The crop has just been harvested, and 
Mr. P. is confident it will yield forty bushels to the 
acre .—Rochester American . 
