120 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
The Crops— (Private Correspondence.) 
After ordering a quantity of Rohan potatoes and 
Dutton corn to be forwarded to him the coming fall, 
our Baltimore correspondent, G. B. Smith, adds: “I 
would remark, that I place great value on the fact of 
getting these articles from you direct, for our farmers 
have been so greatly hoaxed or cheated by seedsmen, 
that they have little confidence in them. I could not 
have sold the spring wheat (Italian) had Mr. B. not 
been able to have brought a letter from you. All I 
sold has turned out well. The extreme heat has 
caused much of it to shrink, but it has all made a 
good crop. What little Siberian was sold here has 
not done well at all; and a great deal that I knew 
was of a doubtful character, and refused to have any 
thing to do with, has, as I expected, resulted very 
badly. At present the prospect of the Dutton corn 
is favorable.” 
Mulberry Farm, N. J. July 29.—“ Our harvest is 
over, and we have but a poor crop,—I mean a light 
one. Rye is meagre enough. Some of our best 
farmers say they have not half a crop. As a general 
remark, I believe we shall not gather more than ten 
bushels to the acre, this section of country over. 
This region is one of the best; indeed more rye is 
raised upon an equal number of farms than on any 
other in the state. The grass crops are proportion- 
ably light. Oats are not half a crop. Corn is so in¬ 
jured by drought, that one and all agree there cannot 
now, if rain should come within a few days, be more 
than half a crop. There has been no rain for six 
weeks past, and vegetation generally is suffering 
beyond recovery. Pasture there is none. Potatoes 
are scarce—buckwheat destroyed by grasshoppers. 
Truly the farmer’s prospect is discouraging and dark 
enough. J. N. B.” 
Knoxville, Te. —“ The small grain harvest was never 
better in East Tennessee. The crop from the golden 
chaff, alias Missouri wheat, is unusually large. It is 
decidedly the favorite of our farmers. It was from its 
first introduction into this climate excellent—but the 
acclimating process has improved it essentially. We 
have been experimenting with the Siberian wheat, 
but as it is not yet matured, I cannot say how it suits 
our soil and latitude. J. G. M. Ramsey .” 
Braintree, Mass. —“ Wheat has failed with me, 
(the Siberian spring.) It has rusted; the kernel 
has not filled. The land was limed, and the produce 
of straw is estimated at two and a half tons per acre 
.—so we are here at a loss for some crop to seed down 
with in June, from our lands being springy, as our 
farmers reject oats and barley. Of hay our yield has 
been abundant, I should judge a quarter more than 
the last season, and it has been got in well. Corn 
promises well. Potatoes in many places lack rain. 
Fruits not so abundant as the blossoms indicated, 
though the growth of wood has been great. On the 
whole, the countryman has this year more than usual 
to be grateful for. B. V. French.” 
The rust is a sufficient cause of the shrinkage of 
the wheat, and the crop should be cut as soon as it 
appears. It seems to us, besides, that the soil of 
East Massachusetts lacks something besides lime, to 
fit it for the wheat crop, viz. animal matter, an essen¬ 
tial element of the gluten of wheat. Barley and oats 
are good crops on soils adapted to their growth; and 
we suspect, by the greater amount of their product, 
on such soils, would make a better return than wheat 
does there. We advise our correspondent to try 
again. First to underdrain his wet grounds, which 
will enable him to sow early; and if he is anxious 
for the wheat bounty, let him apply some concen¬ 
trated manure, containing animal matter, as bone 
dust, horn shavings, poudrette, animal carbon, urine, 
fish or slaughter-house manure. These article are 
all comealable in the vicinity of Boston. 
Greenwich, N. J. August 9th, 1838.—“ The wheat 
crop with us was quite promising, but suffered from 
the rust, and many of our farmers have their crops 
injured by the smut. The corn crop never looked 
more promising than at the commencement of last 
month, but we have had no rain for more than four 
weeks, and much of it is now entirely dry; but I sup¬ 
pose that rain in a few days would probably make half 
a crop. Some buckwheat was sown before the ground 
became too dry for vegetation—some have been wait¬ 
ing for rain, and have not sown ; and some that was 
sown since the ground was dry does not vegetate. 
Respectfully. Benj. Sheppard.”' 
From the various notices in the newspapers, and 
from information derived from travellers, it seems cer¬ 
tain, that the early harvest, embracing winter grain 
and hay, has been unsually abundant throughout our 
country. Yet we regret to learn, that the drought of 
July has been severe and disastrous to the late crops, 
all along our Atlantic border, from Virginia to Mas¬ 
sachusetts. 
In Virginia, it is stated from Norfolk and Winches¬ 
ter, that the corn crop has been greatly injured, and 
upon light soils nearly destroyed. 
In Maryland, the injury is still greater ; in Frede¬ 
rick and Washington, two of the best agricultural 
counties, “ many farmers have cut down their corn 
stalks, with the intention of putting wheat in the 
fields. In many fields the yield will not be half a bar¬ 
rel (2| bushels) the acre. The clover and pasture 
fields have also suffered dreadfully, and upon many 
farms they have had to resort to their hay to sus¬ 
tain their stock.” 
In Pennsylvania, the injury has also been very se¬ 
rious. ft is stated from Harrisburgh, that “the corn 
and potato crops are considered as gone past recove¬ 
ry. The farmers are turning their cattle into their 
corn fields, and cutting their stalks up for fodder.” 
Fruit, also, has been much injured. 
In New-Jersey, the south part of New-York, Con¬ 
necticut, Rhode-Island and Massachusetts* the drought 
has also been severe. It has been less so in this vici¬ 
nity ; though here the corn, potatoes, and late sown 
wheat and oats will be sensibly diminished in product. 
The heavy rains which fell here on the 5th and 6th 
August, completely saturated the soil, and revived 
and gladdened animated nature. In the northern 
and some portion of the western parts of our state, 
there has been no want of rain. 
On Earthing Potatoes. 
The general practice has been, and now is, to earth 
the potato crop, by making conical hills or ridges.— 
But, within a few years, the propriety of this mode of 
culture has been doubted, as tending to curtail the 
pasture of the plant, and to expose it to greater in¬ 
jury from drought; and several, who have experi¬ 
mented in the matter, have come to the conclusion, 
that the crop is most productive when but partially, 
or not at all earthed. A French Journal gives the 
following as the result of one experiment made by M. 
de Dombale:—Eight rows were horse-hoed; some 
little time after they were earthed up, and when five 
inches high they were again earthed up. Other eight 
rows in the same place, and under exactly the same cir¬ 
cumstances, were only horse-hoed, at the same time 
with the others, but received no earthing up or sub¬ 
sequent culture. The product of the earthed up po¬ 
tatoes was 1,222 lbs; of the others 1,408 lbs. and in 
a very fertile spot, the difference was one-third in fa¬ 
vor of the latter. 
Effect of Steam Power. 
The effect of steam navigation in enlarging the 
commerce in eggs, has been wonderful. The impor¬ 
tation of eggs from Ireland, during the last year, to Li¬ 
verpool and Bristol alone, amounted in value to $450,- 
000. The importations into England from France, 
were probably much greater. The egg commerce of 
our country has also been greatly increased, by the 
facility of transporting them to our large towns by 
means of steam. Equal facilities have been afforded, 
by steam navigation, for the transportation of beef 
cattle. Thousands of fat animals are now annually 
taken down the Hudson, on board of boats towed by 
steam. Rail-roads are also now being employed for 
the transportation of fat animals, and promise impor¬ 
tant advantages, not only in diminishing the expense 
of marketing, but in preventing the waste of flesh in¬ 
cident to driving a distance. 
Horticultural Society of the Valley of the Hudson. 
This society was organized in May last. We have 
not hitherto noticed any of its proceedings, from the 
hope, that ere this, we should have been able to publish 
them entire, with a notice of the first exhibition. The 
proceedings and notice came to us first in a printed 
form after the present number of our paper was pre¬ 
pared for press. We are obliged, therefore, to be con¬ 
tent with giving them a brief notice for the present, re¬ 
serving to a future opportunity a more detailed state¬ 
ment. 
The plan of this association originated with a few in- 
dividnals, who were desirous of profiting themselves and 
the public, by the improvement of horticulture and ru¬ 
ral embellishment, in the valley of the Hudson—by in¬ 
troducing and disseminating among us, all the choice 
garden and orchard fruits, culinary vegetables and or¬ 
namental plants, that are congenial to our soil and cli¬ 
mate, and suited to our wants and comforts. A circu¬ 
lar, inviting a meeting at New-York on the 30tli May, 
for the purpose of organizing an association, was print¬ 
ed, with the following respectable names attached to it, 
viz: Morgan Lewis, James G. King, J. Buel, Stephen 
Van Rensselaer, Ed. P. Livingston, John W. Knevels, 
Theodore Allen, J. R. Stuyvesant, John Torrey, Alex. 
Walsh, Geo. C. Thor burn, Ph. S. Van Rensselaer, James 
Wilson, A, J, Downing, Wm, Thorburn, J. A. Thomp¬ 
son, Jas. A, Hamilton and Freeborn Garretson._ From 
an untoward series of disappointments, these circulars 
had but a partial circulation, and did not arrive in N. 
York for distribution till the day before the time ap¬ 
pointed for the meeting. 
A meeting of respectable gentlemen, from different 
eounties on the Hudson, did, however, take place at the 
rooms of the Lyceum of Natural History, in New-York, 
on the 30th May—a constitution was adopted, officers 
were chosen, and preliminary steps were taken to have 
a semi-annual exhibition of horticultural productions, 
together with a suitable address, at the rooms of the 
Lyceum, No. 563 Broadway, this fall. The time of the 
exhibition has now been fixed for the 27th of the pre¬ 
sent month of September. 
The objects of the society, as set forth in the consti¬ 
tution, are—“ the promotion of horticulture, and the 
taste for rural improvement in general—by comparative 
exhibitions, at which medals and premiums shall be 
awarded—by procuring and disseminating choice fruits 
and plants—by experiments in culture throughout dif¬ 
ferent sections of the territory embraced—by lectures 
and essays on various subjects connected with the sci¬ 
ence and practice of horticulture—and in such other 
methods as shall be deemed advantageous by the asso¬ 
ciation.” The constitution also declares, that there shall 
be semi-annual exhibitions—first, the summer meeting, 
for the smaller fruits and earlier flowers, to be held in 
June, at Albany, Poughkeepsie and Newburgh, alter¬ 
nately; and second, the autumnal meeting, for the lar¬ 
ger variety of hardy fruits, and late floral and vegetable 
productions, to be held in September or October, in the 
city of New-York. The terms of admission to members, 
are an initiating fee of Five Dollars —no annual contri¬ 
butions are exacted. 
The following officers were elected for the ensuing 
year :—J. Buel, of Albany, President; A. J. Downing, 
of Orange, Corresponding Secretary; N. G. Carnes, of 
New-York, Recording Secretary; G. C. Thorburn, of 
New-York, Treasurer; Ph. S. Van Rensselaer of Alba¬ 
ny, Ed. P, Livingston of Columbia, E. Holbrook of 
Dutchess, N. Becar of Kings, Alex’r Walsh of Rensse¬ 
laer, John Torrey of New-York, C. Ludlow of Orange, 
R- Arden of Putnam, J. E. Dickey of Queens, Eleazer 
Lord of Rockland, Samuel Young of Saratoga, A. B. 
Hasbrouck of Ulster, James A. Hamilton of Westches¬ 
ter, and William Emerson of Richmond, Vice-Presi¬ 
dents. Executive Committee: Theodore Allen, J. R. 
Stuyvesant and J. W. Knevels, of Dutchesss; Henry 
Robinson, J. F. Betts and C. Downing, of Orange; J. 
M’Donald M’lntyre, William Thorburn and James 
Wilson, of Albany; and John J. Palmer, James Pennell, 
(M. D.) J. A. Perry, James R. Hamilton, John Gro- 
shon, and William R. Rushton, of New-York. 
Gentlemen throuhout the valley of the Hudson, and 
elsewhere, are requested to bring to the exhibition, on 
the 27th September, such horticultural and agricultural 
products as may serve to make up a complete compara¬ 
tive exhibition of the various fruits, flowers and vegeta¬ 
bles, produced upon our diversified soils. 
The Horticultural and Pomological Societies of Eu¬ 
rope, have effected important benefits to mankiud, by 
their labors in producing new varieties of fruits, flowers 
and enculents, and in collecting, and disseminating the 
choicer varieties. We are indebted to their labors, at 
this day, for many new and valuable kinds, which other¬ 
wise would probably have remained unknown to us. 
Nor do we lack evidence, at home, of the utility of 
these associations: the societies at Boston, Philadel¬ 
phia, Baltimore, Washington, and in the western part 
of our state, have done, and are doing, much, to multi¬ 
ply the sources of human enjoyment, and to promote 
a laudable taste for rural embellishment and social en¬ 
joyments. When we consider the science, the wealth, 
the taste, and the professional talent, that may be found, 
in the valley of the Hudson—the liberality and enter¬ 
prise of its population—the susceptibility of our valley 
for high and picturesque improvement—and the advan¬ 
tages which may be made to flow from, the labors of 
the society,—we cannot hesitate in expressing a convic¬ 
tion, that the project will be promptly and generously 
sustained and supported by our enlightened citizens. 
Application for membership may be made to the offi¬ 
cers named above, who will furnish the printed pro¬ 
ceedings, embracing the constitution, and a diploma, 
under th e seal of the corporation. _ 
Great Sale of Short-Homed Cattle. 
The Short-Horned stock of C. S. Clarkson, of Cin¬ 
cinnati, full and part blooded, was lately sold at auc¬ 
tion. It comprised 91 animals, and sold for the gross 
amount of $27,802—averaging $305 each. One of 
the cows with a calf, sold for $1,075; a cow, 12 years 
old, sold for $1,000; a yearling heifer at $700; a two 
year old heifer at $875; a three year old bull $1,450 ; 
and a bull calf, 9 months old, for $1,000!! When 
will our farmers learn, from these extraordinary prices, 
the difference between superior and ordinary cattle 1 
When they appreciate justly their true interests. By 
the way: we think the Short-Horn fever has attained 
a crisis in Ohio and Kentucky, and that prices must 
hereafter retrograde, rather than advance. We re¬ 
member that in 1815, or thereabouts, some Merino 
bucks sold for $1,500, and that a few years afterwards 
they sold at $50, and even at $15. To use a com¬ 
mon sense proverb—“there should be reason in all 
things.” __ 
A Flora of North America, 
By Prof. John Torrey and Asa Gray, is now being 
published by Messrs. Carville, New-York, Carey & 
Lee, Philadelphia, and Little, Brown & Co. Boston. 
It is to be comprised in three closely printed vols. of 
550 pages each, and is to embrace all the indigenous 
and naturalized plants growing north of Mexico, in¬ 
cluding Nuttall’s collection. from the Rocky Moun¬ 
tains. The first volume is to comprise the exogenous 
polypetalous plants, and to be published in three num¬ 
bers, or parts, of 184 pages each—price $1.50 for 
each part. 
