THE CULTIVATOR. 
183 
observing farmer or naturalist, and carefully propa¬ 
gated—we are decidedly of opinion, that the intro¬ 
duction of new varieties from abroad, and the dis¬ 
semination of such as may be found deserving of no¬ 
tice in our country, is eminently calculated to pro¬ 
mo'e the interests of agriculture, and ot the commu¬ 
nity at large. 
Another consideration. The prices at which these 
new products are held, is objected to, as savoring of 
extortion. In the first place, no one is obliged to 
buy. It is his voluntary act, and he should not com¬ 
plain ; nor does he complain when he becomes a sel¬ 
ler. In the second place, the only way to dissemi¬ 
nate rapidly any thing which is intrinsically good, is 
to demand a high price for it. It will be prized and 
nurtured m proportion to its cost. In these matters 
we are apt to graduate value by the cost. We once 
tendered to the members of an agricultural society, a 
bag of choice seed, in such portions as they might 
choose to take, as a gratuity; and although it stood 
before them, and they examined and professed to ad¬ 
mire it, not an individual took a particle. We took 
it home, demanded a high price, and sold it readily in 
a few days. 
We began this article simply with the intention of 
acknowledging the receipt of some beautiful samples 
of wheat, and of returning our thanks to the gentle¬ 
men who sent them to us. 
^ We have received from Geo. C. Thorburn samples, 
in straw and in grain, of the Whitington Wheal. It 
is the handsomest sample of wheat we ever saw, of 
any kind, although it is a spring wheat. The berry 
is large, plump and very white, the skin apparently 
thin, the head seven inches long, the straw stout and 
bright. Mr. Thorburn will have seed to sell in March. 
We find by the (London) Farmer’s Magazine of 
October, that the origin of this wheat was three ears 
selected from a field, on the mountains of Switzer¬ 
land, and that it obtained a medal at the Liverpool 
agricultural meeting in 1836. It is also stated, in an 
advertisement by the way, that it grows upon poor 
soils, that 12 bushels sown have produced 300—and 
that the grower charges j 68 per quarter, equal to 
$4.44 the bushel. 
The same number of the Magazine advertises other 
new varieties of wheat, which are highly extolled, and 
which have the like recommendation of high prices, 
to wit, 8 guineas the quarter of 8 bushels, or 25s. 
sterl. equal to $5.55, the bushel. Of these we give 
the names of Donna Maria, Fuliard’s prize wheat, or 
four square headed red Brittania, said to have origi¬ 
nated from a single ear grown on the field of Water¬ 
loo, and to which was awarded the London gold prize 
medal. Brown’s Chevalier prolific ten rowed white 
wheat, comes recommended by a great number of 
certificates of growers. This is said to produce—five 
pecks (about half the common seeding in England) 
being sown to the acre—forty-two to sixty bushels the 
acre. And it will be seen in the extracts we make 
in regard to the Yorkshire cattle show, that the Royal 
Standard wheat, which we take to be identical with 
the Whitington, is in high repute. Bating the puff¬ 
ing and humbuggery connected with these advertise¬ 
ments, and the London folks are adroit in these mat¬ 
ters, there is no doubt, that all the above named are 
new and valuable varieties of wheat, which would be 
an accession to some districts of our country. 
We have also received two beautiful samples of 
wheat, purporting to come from Marseilles, in France, 
and accompanied by a note signed W. H. Culver. 
One sample closely resembles the Whitington, though 
a shade or two darker; the other, said not to have 
been before imported, resembles the Italian, only that 
it is larger and plumper than the Italian. Both sam¬ 
ples have the size and plumpness of the best winter 
wheat, though they are said to be spring varieties. 
They promise to become an acquisition to our hus¬ 
bandry. 
New-York Agricultural School. 
The following Circular has been addressed, person¬ 
ally, to a few individuals residing in different parts of 
the state. Relating to a matter that concerns all 
classes—and as many, with whom we are not per¬ 
sonally acquainted, may feel a hearty desire to aid in 
this great work of industrial, mental and moral im¬ 
provement—it is here addressed to the public at large 
—to every individual whose liberal feelings and pub¬ 
lic spirit may incline to our aid. Subscribers will 
undoubtedly be entitled to a preference in the advanta¬ 
ges to be afforded by the school. 
CIRCULAR. 
“ Albany , November 15, 1S3S. 
“ Sir. —In 1836, the legislature of New-York passed 
‘ An act to incorporate the New-York State Agricultu¬ 
ral School,’ with a capital of $100,000, and liberty to in¬ 
crease it to $200,000-— £ for the purposes of instruction 
in literature and science, and improvement in scientific 
and practical agriculture and the mechanic arts.’ 
“ The prominent provisions in the act of incorpora¬ 
tion are—that the concerns of the company shall be ma¬ 
naged by a board of trustees, to be annually chosen by 
the stockholders, of which board the Governor and Lieu¬ 
tenant-Governor, for the time being, shall always be 
members;—that the trustees 'shall purchase a farm 
of about five hundred acres of land, either contiguous 
to or near the Hudson river, and nigh to the city of Al¬ 
bany as shall be convenient,’ and make necessary ar¬ 
rangements for commencing and carrying on the school. 
And, that the stock shall not become a matter of specu¬ 
lation, to the detriment of the institution—and to pre¬ 
vent a perversion of the school to other than its legiti¬ 
mate objects, the law limits the dividends upon the 
stock paid in, to five per cent per annum—and declares, 
that'the professors, teachers and pupils of the school 
shall, unless prevented by sickness, or other unavoida¬ 
ble cause, occupy themselves at least one-half of the 
time the said school is in session, between the months 
of March and December, either in the practical agricul- 
ral business of the farm, or in the laboratory or mecha¬ 
nic shops connected with said school’ 
“ In consequence of the indisposition of one of the 
commissioners appointed to open books of subscription, 
and the death of a principal patron and manager, only 
about one-third of the capital stock was subscribed; the 
corporation was not organized, and the charter became 
void by non-user. At the last session of the legislature, 
the act of incorporation was renewed and continued in 
force. But the deranged state of the business concerns 
of the country, and the general pressure for money, has 
hitherto prevented any efforts being made to fill up the 
subscription As our commercial embarrassments have 
in a great measure subsided; and impressed, as we are, 
with a confident belief, that the projected school is cal¬ 
culated essentially to accelerate improvements in the 
great branches of productive labor, and to exert a be¬ 
nign influence upon society at large, we beg leave re¬ 
spectfully to call the public attention to the subject, with 
the view of carrying the provisions of the law into speedy 
operation. 
“ The law makes no appeal, it is true, to mercenary 
considerations; but it appeals to higher, nobler feelings 
—to the public spirit, to the patriotism of our citizens. 
Its object is to improve the moral and social condition 
of the state, and to augment the productions of its soil. 
It is designed to extend to productive labor the efficient 
aid of modern science, and to instruct it in what expe¬ 
rience has taught and confirmed as the best modes of 
practice ; and to elevate, withal, the intellectual and mo¬ 
ral character of that numerous class of our population, 
who are, emphatically, the shield and strength of our 
freedom, to that healthful and independent condition 
which the safety of our country demands. 
"It is unnecessary for us to dilate upon the numerous 
benefits which scientific and industrial schools are cal¬ 
culated to confer upon a community. Their great utili¬ 
ty has been amply demonstrated in Europe, where they 
have been long established, and where they continue 
annually to increase. They seem particularly fitted for 
a free people, who are entrusted with the sovereign 
power, and who ever, while free, give the impress to 
national character. Should the projected school realize 
any thing like the benefits anticipated from it by its 
friends, it will become a pattern, and lead to the esta¬ 
blishment of like institutions in our land, and to a high¬ 
ly salutary improvement in our industrial and social 
habits. 
" The particular object of this circular is to apprize 
you of the foregoing facts, and to invite you, as a wil¬ 
ling promoter of the public good, to take an active in¬ 
terest in the projected school—to subscribe to the stock 
yourself, and to influence the wealthy and philanthropic 
of your neighborhood to do the like. The shares are 
twenty-five dollars each. It is proposed, that when $50, 
000 of stock shall have been subscribed, notice shall be 
given in the Cultivator, Genesee Farmer, and the Alba¬ 
ny Argus, of a meeting of the stockholders, at the Capi¬ 
tol in the city of Albany, to organize the Association, 
and at which time a payment of five dollars on each 
share of the stock subscribed will be required to be 
paid. Will you do us the favor to send your reply, be¬ 
fore the 1st of February, addressed to Archibald McIn¬ 
tyre, Esq. or Jesse Buel, Albany, with a notice of any 
subscription you may be disposed to make, or may have 
been able tq obtain, to the stock of'The New-York 
State Agricultural School.’ 
“ ARCH’D MMNTYRE, 
“J. BUEL, 
“J. P. BEEKMAN.” 
*W. H. SEWARD, 
*W. L. MARCY. 
* We received permission to add these two highly re¬ 
spectable names to the Circular after it had been sent 
abroad. 
Insect Enemies. 
At the recent meeting of the “ British Association 
for the advancement of Science,” the Rev. F. W. 
Hope read a paper “On Noxious Insects occurring in 
the year 1838, more particularly the Tipula Irilici 
of Kirby.” 
The author commenced his observations on the 
apple blight. In this year apple trees have chiefly 
suffered from the attacks of two insects; one is a 
beetle ( Anthonomus pomomus,) which attacxs the 
blossoms in bud, and prevents the fruit from what is 
called “setting.” It is well known to entomologists, 
and the author hopes shortly to give its history to 
the world with illustrations. The second is the 
Aphis, or plant louse, which is this year exceedingly 
abundant. The apple, the hop, and the wheat, have 
suffered from it. The author would not describe these 
insects, as they are so well known, but made the fol¬ 
lowing observations :—When vegetation in spring 
has made considerable advances, and the weather be¬ 
comes wet and uncongenial, then Aphides appear in 
greatest abundance. He attributes the great abun¬ 
dance of Aphides this year to the cold. He was anx¬ 
ious to ascertain if Aphides are more abundant in 
some soils than others, and solicited information on 
this point. In 1829, the Aphides were succeeded by 
the Coccinelidce : is this usual ? The Aphides on the 
wheat this year are more abundant on the spring than 
the autumn sown wheat, and (near Cheltenham) more 
numerous on bearded wheat. Tipula tntici is ob¬ 
served to be abundant in some districts. The pupa 
and chrysalides are not so numerous as in former 
years, but the caterpillars are very abundant; but 
the wheat appears more damaged by Aphides than 
Tipula?. The author then alluded to the kind of in¬ 
formation wanted in these inquiries, with regard to 
soil, atmosphere, cultivation, and varieties of wheat, 
which might be supplied by the agriculturist; and re¬ 
gretted that there was not an agricultural section in 
the Association. He then hoped botanists would sup¬ 
ply information :—1. On the species and varieties of 
wheat grown in this country : 2. Diseases of wheat 
arising from parasitic fungi and other causes : 3. The 
provincial and local names of the kinds of wheat. In 
conclusion, he suggested that a committee of the Bri¬ 
tish Association, consisting of botanists, entomolo¬ 
gists, and agriculturists, should be formed, in order 
to investigate the diseases incident to wheat, and 
other kinds of agricultural produce. 
New Discovery in Philosophy. 
Professor Mitchell, of Philadelphia, has succeeded 
in preparing an apparatus for pressing gases into 
a liquid and solid state. The discovery of a mode of 
converting gases into liquids, by compression, was 
first made some time ago, by M. Thilloms, of Paris. 
The apparatus of Prof. Mitchell is made to produce 
a pressure upon carbonic acid gas, of about 1,000 lbs. 
to the square inch, which by expelling the latent ca¬ 
loric, reduces the gas to a liquid, and of course cre¬ 
ates great heat, externally, by the caloric which is 
thus expelled and set free. On suffering the vessel con¬ 
taining the liquified gas to communicate with the air, a 
part of the liquid is rapidly evaporated, and the rest 
frozen into snow, light, dry and very cold to the touch, 
beautifully white; and when first exposed to the at¬ 
mosphere, is 122 degrees below the cold of frozen 
water. As rapid evaporation immediately ensues, vi¬ 
sible in the appearance of a white vapor, and carrying 
off caloric, this low temperature rapidly falls to 130 
or 140 degrees below zero. Mercury, which freezes 
at 140 Q below zero, becomes solid, in a few seconds, 
when enveloped in this snow, has the hardness of lead, 
and exhibits the same appearance when cut with the 
knife. Thus it seems, that without the all-animat¬ 
ing principle of caloric, which exists, either in a 
latent or free state, in every thing, all gases and li¬ 
quids would become solids, and every organized being, 
animal and vegetable, would cease to exist. How 
wonderful are the works of the creation ! 
This discovery promises to become of great use in 
science, in the arts, and even for domestic purposes. 
Prof. Mitchell is engaged in a course of experiments, 
with his apparatus, the results of which will be 
made public through the Journal of the Franklin 
Institute. 
Tlie Farmer’s Garden. 
kitchen department —( Continued .) 
25. Hop.—Hops are deemed indispensable, with 
many good housewives, in the making of yeast, or 
beer, or both. A few roots, planted on the outer 
border of the garden, will require little other care 
than polling and picking them, and from six to ten 
poles will supply the wants of the family. 
26. Horse-radish. —This is a valuable and whole¬ 
some condiment, or sauce, with meats. It grows from 
cuttings of the root, as well as from tops. To have 
fine roots, it should be planted deep, in rich mellow 
ground, and stand two years. For winter use, it 
may be taken up in the fall, and packed in the cellar 
in earth, like other roots. A few feet of ground will 
suffice for its culture, and to this it should be con¬ 
fined. 
27. Hysof is a sort of shrub, the flower spikes of 
which are used, fresh or dried, for medicinal purpo¬ 
ses. Half a dozen plants on a border will suffice. 
28. Lettuce is common in our gardens, and con¬ 
stitutes the principal sallad for our tables. There are 
a great many varieties, and there is a material dif¬ 
ference in their quality. To have fine heads, it ia 
necessary to sow in September, to protect the plants 
in winter, and transplant in May. The curled Sibe¬ 
rian is in general esteem. If sown in a hot bed, and 
carefully transplanted, about the first of May, into a 
rich east or west border, the coss and some other 
