THE CULTIVATOR. 
7v 
they do not talk as much, can think and act as correct¬ 
ly and as promptly, as professional talkers ; and who, 
knowing best the true interests of the mass of our po¬ 
pulation, are likely to do the least injury, if they do 
not do the most good. 
We want a more extended circulation of agricultu¬ 
ral periodicals—because they disseminate useful 
knowledge, stimulate industry, call into action latent 
genius, awaken laudable competition, induce general 
improvement, bring into exercise the noblest feelings 
of our nature, and inculcate good will to our fellow- 
man. 
We want to have inculcated and taught, by precept 
and example, in our public halls, in our social circles, 
and in our schools, high and low, the great moral and 
political duty, of identifying our individual with the 
public interest, and of considering the one as in a 
great measure inseparable from the other. 
ON OUR FARMS, 
We loant more system—more employment for our 
females, that they may be more healthy, more robust, 
and more serviceable to posterity—more contentment 
with our rural employments—a greater desire to in¬ 
crease our knowledge, to improve our practice, and 
to bring our sons up “ in the way they should go ”— 
as independent tillers of the soil. 
We leant more attention paid to augment our ma¬ 
nures, the food of our farm crops, that our lands, in¬ 
stead of growing poorer every year, may increase in 
fertility, in products and in profits. 
We leant to understand, better than we do, the 
principles and the practice of draining, that much of 
our best land, now unproductive and noisome, may be 
rendered productive, profitable and healthy. 
We want to extend the culture of roots and clover, 
as tending to perpetuate fertility, fatten cattle, furnish 
manure, and fill the granary. 
We want the conviction that we can improve, 
the determination that we will improve, and we shall 
then soon become conscious that we have improved, 
in the management of our farms. 
On the Improvement of Grass Lauds. 
Although the alternation of grass and grain crops is 
deemed most profitable, on soils and in situations 
which wdl admit of this kind of husbandry, yet there 
are many situations in which this alternate change 
cannot be carried into effect without manifest preju¬ 
dice to the interests of the cultivator. There are 
some soils so natural to grass, as to yield an undimi¬ 
nished product for many years, almost without care or 
expense. There are others upon the banks of streams 
w hich frequently overflow, which it is prudent to keep 
in grass, lest the soil should be worn away by the ra¬ 
pid flood of the waters. Others again are too precipi¬ 
tous, or too stony, to admit of arable culture. Nor 
should we conceal the fact, that it is still a controvert¬ 
ed point, whether rich stiff clays are not most profita¬ 
ble, when permanently appropriated to grass. What¬ 
ever causes prevail, the fact is indisputable, that a con¬ 
siderable portion of our lands are and will continue to 
remain m meadow and pasture. It is with the view 
to aid the farmer in correcting any defects that may 
exist in such grass grounds, and in improving and 
keeping them in condition, that we offer the following 
suggestions. And first, 
OF PASTURE. 
The evils that are experienced in pasture grounds, 
are, the gradual disappearance of the best grasses ; 
the growth of mosses and weeds in their stead; and 
the prevalence of coarse herbage in situations where 
there exists a superabundance of moisture. Where¬ 
ver there are stagnant waters, as upon flat surfaces, 
the pasture is rendered peculiarly unhealthy for 
sheep ; but it is remarked, that if the water is in con¬ 
tinued motion, as is generally the case upon the de¬ 
clivities of hills and mountains, no ill consequences 
follow. 
To remedy the evils we have enumerated, and to 
improve the condition of pasture grounds, one or more 
of the following expedients may be advantageously re¬ 
sorted to, viz. sowing and harrowing in grass seeds, 
scarifying, bushing, draining, manuring, top-dressing 
with marl or lime. 
Grass seeds may be sown either in the autumn or 
spring, followed by the harrow, and if practicable by 
the roller. The harrow partially extirpates the moss¬ 
es, breaks and pulverizes the surface, and buries the 
seeds; and the roller presses the earth to the seeds, 
and smooths the surface. The bush harrow is to be 
preferred. This may be constructed by interweaving 
some strong, but pliant branches of trees, through the 
open squares of a heavy harrow, which thus forms an 
efficient brush, and when drawn over the ground per¬ 
forms its duty perfectly during a short distance ; but 
the branches being pressed close, and worn by the 
motion, soon become so flat as not to have the effect 
of spreading the earth, thrown upon the surface by 
earth-worms or ground-mice or ants. It is therefore 
recommended in British Husbandry, as a better mode, 
to fix the branches upright in a frame, placed in the 
front part of the carriage of the roller; by which 
means they can be so placed as to sweep the ground 
effectually, and when worn can be moved a little low¬ 
er down, so as to continue the work with regularity. 
This operation also completely breaks and scatters 
the manure dropped on the field by the stock, and par¬ 
tially incorporates it with the surface mould. 
Scarifying is cutting the sod and loosening the sur¬ 
face. Concklin’s Press Harrow is a suitable imple¬ 
ment for this purpose. We also subjoin the drawing 
of an implement constructed for this purpose, which 
we take from British Husbandry, calculated to be 
drawn by a one or two horse team. [See fig. 1.] 
[Fig. No. 1.] 
This implement is intended to cut the sod perpen¬ 
dicular, so far down as to sever the roots of the grass, 
which occasions it to throw out fresh roots. It slices 
the sod, without tearing it, and should be constructed 
with a number of very sharp coulters, fixed into a 
cross beam at such distances as may be thought ad¬ 
visable, from six inches to a foot, and of a width ac¬ 
cording to the strength intended to be employed in 
drawing it. The blades should be occasionally whet¬ 
ted to preserve their edge, and the implement should 
be used when the ground is in a moderate state of 
moisture, and the grass short. If the land is poor or 
moss bound, it may be passed crosswise. It is best 
adapted to moist clays, which do not contain stones 
or gravel. It is advantageously used to precede the 
sowing of grass seeds. The foot wheel is to regulate 
the depth of the work. 
Draining improves the quality of the herbage, and 
marling or liming increases the quantity. It is remark¬ 
ed, that animal dung, when dropped on coarse pas¬ 
tures, produces little or no benefit, but when calcare¬ 
ous matters have been laid upon the surface, the finer 
grasses soon take possession of it. 
Manures are seldom applied to pasture, especially 
with us ; but applied in the form of compost, as a top¬ 
dressing, they are serviceable. Gypsum and spent 
ashes may be applied with undoubted benefit in most 
cases. 
It need hardly be added, that bushes, thistles and 
other perennial weeds obstruct the growth of grass, 
and that they ought to be carefully extirpated. 
Our pasture grounds are generally left to take care 
of themselves; but there is no doubt but some ex¬ 
pense bestowed upon their improvement, in some of 
the modes above suggested, would be profitably laid 
out. 
OF MEADOW. 
The crop being here annually carried off it becomes 
a matter of necessity, if the field is to be kept perma¬ 
nently in grass, to apply manure occasionally, if we 
would prevent a diminution of product. It is affirm¬ 
ed, that a perfectly thick bottom cannot be maintain¬ 
ed on permanent meadows, in England, unless it is 
manured every second year. Gypsum will effect much 
here, upon dry soils, though there its effects are equi¬ 
vocal ; but gypsum alone will not suffice here. The 
average product upon our old grass lands will hardly 
average over a ton arid a half an acre. With a bien¬ 
nial or triennial top-dressing of dung or compost, 
where the sod is in good condition, it is believed the 
average would be double. 
_ Meadows are subject to all the evils that are expe¬ 
rienced in pastures, from mosses, wetness, and the 
diminution of the finer grasses, besides the greater 
exhaustion of fertility consequent upon carrying off 
the annual growth; and the same measures are best 
adapted to renovate them. Meadows are generally 
depastured after the hay has been taken off, and the 
rowen partially grown. “ After the cattle have been 
removed,” says an English writer, “ the land is bush 
harrowed and rolled .” It has been stated, though 
some question the fairness of the experiment, that the 
operation of heavy rolling has been found to add six 
or seven hundred weight of hay per acre to the pro¬ 
duce of the crop.* 
The effect of pasturing meadows in the spring, up¬ 
on the coming grass crop, has been a matter upon 
which farmers have differed—though all agree that 
heavy cattle should not be kept on so late in autumn, 
or put on so early in spring, as to injure the sole of 
the sod, by poaching it when in a wet state. Mr. 
Sinclair has stated, that a given space of the same 
quality of grass having been cut towards the end of 
March, and another space of equal size left uncut un- 
the last week in April, the produce of each having af¬ 
terwards been taken at three different cuttings, that 
* Derbyshire Report, vol. ii, p. 88. 
of the space last cut exceeded the former m the pro¬ 
portion of three to two ; and in one instance during 
a dry summer, the last cropped space exceeded the 
other as nearly two to one.* It is generally conced¬ 
ed, that it is better to feed off rowen, than to cut it as 
a second crop. 
Preserve your best Animals for Breeding. 
The complaint is general, at least throughout the 
eastern states, that the stock of neat cattle has been 
greatly diminished within a few years, and that prices 
have consequently advanced to an unprecedented 
pitch. And it is believed to be a general fault among 
farmers, that they sell their best young animals to the 
butchers. The season has arrived when it becomes 
the farmer to improve his practice in these matters. 
He should preserve his best animals for breeding; 
raise more stock, if his farm will permit, and substi¬ 
tute improved breeds, or at all events cross upon 
them. 
He should preserve his best individuals for breeding. 
For a dollar or two extra the farmer sells his best calf 
to the butcher; which, if kept as a breeder, would not 
only serve to improve his whole stock, but the indivi¬ 
dual thus sacrificed for a dollar or two, would in ma¬ 
ny cases, be worth, at the working or milking age, 
and with no extra expense of keep, ten, twenty, or 
fifty dollars more, than the poor calf rejected by the 
butcher, and which consequently serves as a breeder 
upon the farm, still further to depreciate the charac¬ 
ter of the farm stock. The farmer who breeds from 
poor or inferior animals, in a manner throws away 
capital. He who breeds only from select animals gets 
common interest. And he who breeds from select 
animals, of the choice breeds, gets compound interest. 
Choice working oxen, of four or five years old, of com¬ 
mon stock, or with the Devon cross, have recently 
been sold for one hundred to one hundred and fifty 
dollars the pair. This surely affords a handsome re¬ 
muneration to the breeder. There is generally a dif¬ 
ference of about one-half, in cows and oxen, between 
select and inferior individuals of the common breeds. 
He should raise more stock. —Many of our farmers 
have been “ penny wise and pound foolish,” in de¬ 
stroying calves at their birth, in order to turn a few 
gallons of milk into ready money, thus retarding the 
increase, and enhancing the value of dairy stock. 
Cattle are the source of fertility to the farm—dung 
makes fat crops, and fat crops make fat cattle. In 
districts remote from market, where land is cheap, 
the rearing of neat cattle should certainly be a pro¬ 
fitable business. It is so upon well managed farms, 
in the contiguity of markets, where lands are high. 
It may be made still more so at remote points, where 
lands are comparatively low, particularly if select 
breeds, or select individuals, are employed as breed¬ 
ers. But, 
He should select the breeds best adapted to his farm; 
and we refer to the report upon neat cattle in our ex¬ 
tra sheet, for advice, as to the breed which is best 
adapted to his farm. Having determined upon this, 
let him stick to it; preserve his finest animals to pro¬ 
pagate from; make it his business to improve, and he 
will soon find, that instead of ten and twelve dollars, 
his yearlings and two year olds will bring him twenty, 
fifty, and even a hundred and fifty dollars each—nay, 
the lastl summer has demonstrated, that choice ani¬ 
mals, of improved breeds, will bring 1,500 to 2,100 
dollars sometimes. 
Our Agricultural Journals , continue to increase 
and to improve. The Genesee Farmer has been en¬ 
larged ; and it has been announced that Willis Gay¬ 
lord and John J. Thomas, both gentlemen of high 
standing as agricultural writers, are to assist in the 
editorial department. The Rev. Mr. Colman, very 
favorably known as an agricultural writer, and a prac¬ 
tical farmer, has promised to lend all the aid to the 
New-England Farmer that his official duties will per¬ 
mit. In the mean time it will be seen, by this and 
our previous numbers, that several new agricultural 
journals have been started in the west. However in¬ 
dividuals are likely to be affected by these arrange¬ 
ments, it is certain that the public will be greatly be- 
nefitted. We estimate, that every additional sub¬ 
scription to these journals, increases the annual pro¬ 
ducts of the soil at least ten dollars; so that five hum 
dred thousand new patrons would add five millions to 
our annual agricultural products. May these journals 
all deserve success, and all receive it. 
Daubenton on Sheep. —We ask of the sheep farmer 
a careful perusal of this article, inserted under ex¬ 
tracts—of the whole article. In this latitude, the loss 
in this useful animal, in winter, is often very great. 
If we mistake not, this article satisfactorily explains a 
prominent cause of the mortality, and suggests a pre¬ 
ventive, which is, or easily may be, accessible to eve¬ 
ry keeper of a flock. The change which takes place 
in the quality of the food, when sheep are changed 
t Woburn Grasses, p. 389. 
