152 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
posed to subscribe for the library, or any individuals willing 
to undertake to supply the schools in a town or county, are 
requested to signify the same to the committee, and the num¬ 
ber of copies desired. 
“ Editors of newspapers and other periodicals, friendly to 
the interests of education and the universal diffusion of know¬ 
ledge, are respectfully requested to give this prospectus an in¬ 
sertion, and to co-operate with the committee in bringing this 
important object before the community, and securing its ac¬ 
complishment. 
“ In behalf of the executive committee, 
“LEONARD BACON, 
“THOMAS COCK, 
“ TIMOTHY R. GREEN, 
“ GORHAM D. ABBOTT, Secretary. 
“ New-York, Oct. 12th, 1837.” 
Why is it best to bury Manure? 
Animal matters decompose with facility when 
acted upon by moisture and air, the greater propor¬ 
tion of their elementary parts making their escape 
in various forms of combination, and leaving the 
earths, alkalies and carbonaceous matters remain¬ 
ing. 
When this decomposition takes place beneath the 
surface of the ground, these gaseous compounds, 
as well as the carbon (which there is reason to be¬ 
lieve assumes also the gaseous state by combining 
with oxygen,) may be supposed to be partially or 
wholly retained in the earth, to afford the matter of 
nutrition to the plants. 
Purely animal substances, therefore, which thus 
readily decompose, do not absolutely require fer¬ 
mentation before they are mixed with the soil. 
Vegetable fibre is, under certain circumstances, 
a slowly decomposing substance. When vegeta¬ 
bles are green and full of juices [as all green crops 
and grass leys] they readily ferment; [hence the 
impropriety of wasting these fertilizing properties 
by cross-ploughing] but when the stems are dried, 
as in the case of straw and litter, they decompose 
with slowness, and the mixing them with animal 
matter hastens the putrefactive fermentation. 
The principal animal matters which are mixed 
with the ligneous fibre of the litter, and which cause 
it to undergo decomposition, are the dung and the 
urine of the animals.— Prof. Low. 
The practical lessons to be drawn from the above 
theory, are, 1. To make your cattle yards concave, 
or hollow in the middle, to retain the urine of ani¬ 
mals, nearly the moiety of the manure. 2. To strew 
or feed your straw, stalks and other litter in the 
yard, to absorb the urine and other liquids there ac¬ 
cumulating. 3. To apply this manure before it has 
undergone much fermentation, that the soil may in¬ 
hale its gaseous portions. And we would add, 4. 
To apply it to a hoed crop, that the weeds and grass¬ 
es, the seeds of which are blended with the dung, 
may be extirpated in the process of after culture. 
Composts, 
Are useful in two cases—1. To save fertilizing 
matters, which might otherwise be wasted or lost; 
as the urine of cattle, or the gaseous matters which 
are evolved from a dung heap undergoing fermen¬ 
tation. And secondly, to render soluble, and avail¬ 
able as the food of plants, that which is not already 
so, as swamp earth, woody fibre, &c. But there is no¬ 
thing added to the elements of fertility by mixing 
vegetable, animal and mineral matters in a com¬ 
post heap. On the contrary, lime is known to be 
decidedly prejudicial when mixed with yard dung, 
and by some is thought to be so when mixed with 
peat earth, by forming with them new combinations 
that are insoluble. 
Agricultural Exhibitions. 
The agricultural journals which reach us abound 
in accounts of the cattle shows and agricultural fairs, 
which were generally held in October, from Maine to 
Kentucky. At the Kennebeck show, 3,000 persons 
are said to have been present, and 150 yoke of oxen, 
besides a corresponding number of other animals, were 
exhibited. Premiums were awarded upon a drill bar- 
row and a root cutter, of recent invention, and upon 
apples, pears and other fruits. In Scott county, 26 
silver cups were awarded;—in Lincoln 28, and in 
Woodford 35, all in Kentucky—as agricultural pre¬ 
miums. 
The Weights of Grain, 
Are materially influenced by climate, and are gene¬ 
rally heavier in a northern latitude, or in an elevated 
district, than they are in a southern latitude, or in a 
low district. The cause of the difference we believe 
to be this—that in the former the heat is more mode¬ 
rate, and the grain is consequently longer in maturing, 
and acquires greater bulk and solidity. The like dif¬ 
ference is also often found to exist, in some species, 
between that grown on cold heavy land, and on land 
Which is light and warm. Disappointments often oc¬ 
cur, in sowing heavy seed, from a northern or elevat¬ 
ed district, in not realizing a corresponding weight in 
the product. These facts are in a measure corrobo¬ 
Sub 
Committee. 
rated by the following exhibit of the weight of grains 
for which premiums were awarded, on the 2d Oct. 
by the agricultural society of Bathurst district, Upper 
Canada, a memorandum of which has been sent us 
by H. C. Baker. 
Fall wheat, 64 lbs. 2 oz. per Westminster bushel. 
Spring do 63 “ 8 “ “ 
Common oats, 44 “ 8 “ “ 
Potato oats, 46 “ 6 “ “ 
Peas, 66 “ 6 “ “ 
Barley, 54 “ 14 “ “ 
Indian corn, 64 “ 2 “ “ 
Highland Society. 
The Highland Society of Scotland is about to in¬ 
stitute a museum on a large scale. For several years 
the directors have been gathering together materials 
for a museum, and it appears the collection they have 
formed is now sufficiently extensive to justify the erec¬ 
tion of a handsome building especially designed to con¬ 
tain it. It will contain models of all known agricul¬ 
tural implements, seeds, &c. with models of different 
varieties of stock of the most approved breeds. The 
society’s first premium to have been awarded in Oct. 
was 500 guineas, for the application of steam to the 
cultivation of the soil; and gold and silver medals for 
reports of improved rural economy abroad, particu¬ 
larly in France, Germany and the Low Countries; 
and the society propose to take the earliest opportu¬ 
nity of communicating their details to the public.— 
Herald. 
Profit of Agricultural Improvement. 
In a late statistical account of Scotland, we have 
a striking illustration of the benefits of outlay in im¬ 
provement, in the example of a Mr. Maxwell. In 
1828, he commenced operations on a farm of 550 
Scotch acres, on a great part of which it was difficult 
for the plough to enter sufficiently deep into the soil, 
because obstructed by stones imbedded, especially on 
the top of the subsoil. These lands were not then 
worth, in grass, more than 16s. an acre. At the date 
of the publication he had perfectly reclaimed 235 
acres, by removing all the stones, to the depth of 
from 12 to 15 inches, and by making from 8,000 
to 10,000 rods of drains. The whole expenditure 
amounted to nearly £5,000, or $22,200—less than 
$20 an acre. The five first crops taken from the 
reclaimed lands were worth $146 per acre, being an 
av rage annual product of about $30 upon each acre 
reclaimed, and far more than remunerating for the 
heavy outlay. 
The Study of Agriculture, 
Is recommended by a writer in the North Ameri¬ 
can Review, in the following extract: 
“Now, although the paramount importance of agri¬ 
cultural pursuits, over all others, is unquestioned, we 
suspect there is scarcely a school or college, in the 
country, where a single hour is devoted to the eluci¬ 
dation of their leading principles ; and we doubt not, 
that many have finished their academical courses 
able, perhaps, to repeat whole volumes of metaphysics 
in the words of the author, while they have not mere¬ 
ly acquired no knowledge, but have formed no con¬ 
ceptions of those familiar operations of the farmer 
and gardener, to which they are indebted for their 
daily food. Surely some few days of the ten years 
pupilage, through which so many of our youth pass, 
might be profitably given to subjects so interesting, 
as well as so important, as these.” 
' __ . _- 
Couch, or Quack Grass, 
Is collected, washed and sold as cattle fodder in 
Italy. Children follow the plough, gather, wash, tie 
in small bundles, and market it, when not wanted on 
the farm. It is also found to possess medical proper¬ 
ties, and is prescribed in decoctions, like sarsaparilla, 
for scorbutic patients. It is stated in the Farmers’ 
Magazine, that upwards of 170,000 dollars worth of 
gramminia is annually sold by the peasants to the in¬ 
habitants of the city of Naples alone. 
Prices of Wool in England. 
We have often heard it remarked, and we have 
concurred in the opinion, that our woollen manufac¬ 
turers can afford to make a greater difference than 
they do make, in the prices they give for prime Sax¬ 
on, and grade wool. The expense of manufacturing 
the two kinds differs but little, while the price of the 
fabric made from prime Saxon is generally double 
that made from grade wool. In the London price 
current for August, we notice the prices of wool were 
as follows : Electoral Saxony from 4s. 2d. to 5s.; first 
German wools 3s. 2d. to 4s.; Spanish Merino from 
Is. to 3s. 2d.; native sheep’s do. Is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. 
There the prices of wool seem to correspond with the 
prices of the cloths into which they are converted— 
the Saxon being nearly double to the Spanish—here 
they do not correspond with the price of the cloths 
which they produce. 
Improved Cross of Sheep. 
Charles Vaughan, a distinguished breeder and 
farmer in Maine, has published in the Maine Farmer, 
letters highly extolling his improved breed of sheep, 
which are a cross of the South-Down with the Dishly, 
or new Leicester. The particular points of excel¬ 
lence are large size, hardiness, early maturity, and, 
we venture to add, from the known character of the 
South-Downers—excellence of mutton. Lambs of 
fifteen days old have weighed 20 lbs. and at five 
months have reached 65 lbs. upon ordinary keep. 
There is nothing unreasonable in the supposition, that 
the breeds of domestic animals can be improved here 
as well as they can be in Britain, provided we be¬ 
stow upon this subject the same judgment and care 
that they do there. From what we have seen of Mr. 
Vaughan’s writings, and heard of his practice, we are 
disposed to believe that he possesses high qualifica¬ 
tions as a breeder. 
Agricultural Schools. 
The Derry (Irish) Journal informs us, fl at three 
additional agricultural schools have recently been 
established in Ireland, by the National Board. 
On Improvement in Horticulture. 
Read before the Horticultural Association of the Valley 
of the Hudson, by J. Bujsl, on the 28th Sept. 1838.— 
Published at the request of the Association. 
Recently notified that the gentleman selected to ad¬ 
dress you on this occasion, wouldfail in the performance 
of that duty, I have hastily prepared some remarks on 
the objects and promised utility of this association, which 
I beg leave to read. 
Our first parent was placed in a garden, and com¬ 
manded “to dress and to keep it; ” thereby indicating, 
from the highest authority, that the garden is pre-emi¬ 
nently fitted for the performance of our highest duties, 
and the gratification of our purest pleasures. This con¬ 
struction of the Divine precept, is in accordance with 
the opinions of every enlightened age and nation. The 
garden has, by general consent, ever been considered a 
source of utility and of healthful employment—the best 
theatre for concentrating and displaying the beautiful 
and wonderful diversified varieties of foliage, flowers 
and fruits of the vegetable world—and a school for ci¬ 
vilizing and socializing man, and of inspiring him with 
love to his Creator, and good will towards his fellow- 
man. Nor does the injunction seem to refer to the mere 
gratification of animal appetite;—for we read, that “ out 
of the ground made the Lord God to grow, every tree 
that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food.” 
Gardening and Horticulture are in a measure synony¬ 
mous terms. Gardening is divided into branches. It “ is 
practised for private use and enjoyment,” says Loudon, 
“ in cottage, villa and mansion gardens;—for public re¬ 
creation, in umbrageous and verdant promenades, parks 
and other scenes, in and near large towns;—for public 
instruction, in botanic and experimental gardens;—and 
for the purposes of commerce, in market, orchard, seed, 
physic, florists and nursery gardens.” In all of these 
departments of Horticulture, we have great room for 
improvement, and great need of it; in all of them it is the 
object of this association to promote improvement, and 
in all of them they will effect improvement, if their ef¬ 
forts are seconded, as I trust they will be, by the intelli¬ 
gence, the taste, and the public spirit of the opulent 
gentlemen of our valley. It is the object of the associa¬ 
tion to introduce into this—our Eden—“ every tree that 
is pleasant to the sight, andgood for food”—to introduce, 
and to disseminate widely, all that is useful and orna¬ 
mental in garden culture—all the fruits, flowers and cu¬ 
linary vegetables, that are worthy of culture, whether 
of foreign or domestic origin, which our soil will grow, 
and our climate mature. 
It is not enough that many of the choice productions 
of the garden should be found with a few of the opulent. 
Those that are excellent should be known and dissemi¬ 
nated widely. We should do good to others, if we would 
know the pleasures that spring from a generous philan. 
thropy. By bringing these productions together at our 
semi-annual exhibitions, showing and comparing them, 
we can determine their relative merits, their proper 
names and synonymes,—can publish the result of these 
comparisons, and recommend and disseminate those 
which possess the greatest intrinsic merit. “ All men 
will eat good fruit that can get it,” says Sir William 
Temple; “ so that the choice is only, whether one will 
eat good or ill;—and of all things produced in a garden, 
whether of salads or fruits, a poor man that has one of 
his own, will eat better than a rich man that has none.’ ’ 
We seek to extend the luxury of good fruits to all, in 
order that the poor man who has a garden, may eat bet¬ 
ter fruit than the rich man who has none. 
As I have remarked, gardening is co-existent with 
man. Its early history is too obscure to be traced. 
Suffice it to say, that in the best days of polished Rome, 
it was cultivated with taste and assiduity, and ranked 
with the fine arts; and that with these it sunk to ob¬ 
scurity in the downfall of that empire. All of the art 
that survived the shock of Vandalism in Europe, was 
preserved and cloistered with the monks during the dark 
ages. With learning it revived first in Italy and Hol¬ 
land ; to which countries many exotics, and a taste for 
cultivating them, were introduced during the crusades. 
It was not until the reign of Henry 8th in the beginning 
of the 16th century, that gardening attracted much at¬ 
tention in England. Previous to this time, cabbages, 
