188 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
The free use of charcoal for hogs, confined in pens, 
is highly recommended by many individuals, whose 
habits of attention, observation and experience entitle 
them to credit. 
Mr. Samuel Woodruff of Windsor, Conn, obtained 
from twenty Rohan Potatoes twenty and a half bush¬ 
els, some of which weighed 2 lbs. 13 oz. each. 
Mr. Samuel Crary, of Bethlehem, Albany county, 
killed on the 5th of December last six pigs, between 
eight and nine months old, which weighed after being 
dressed, as follows—272, 269, 253, 252, 240, 220— 
amounting to 1506 lbs. averaging 251 lbs. each_ 
They run during the summer in a clover pasture, and 
fed the wash of a small dairy—fattened in the usual 
way, and no particular care taken with them, as there 
was no particular object in view, except fitting them 
for market. Nine dollars per cwt. was readily ob¬ 
tained for them. They were five-eighths Berkshire 
and three-eighths China breed. 
At the Fair of the American Institute, in October 
last, a silver medal was awarded to C. N. Bement, 
for his Vegetable Cutter and a small mill for crush¬ 
ing grain for feeding stock. He also received a sil¬ 
ver medal for fine specimens of Rohan potatoes, and 
a diploma for his Turnip Drill, (a silver medal bavin, 
been awmrded him the year previous.) 
Notices to Correspondents. 
Oaks. —Friend Bull’s letter and eight acorns came to 
us through the mail, charged $1.12£ postage. The 
acorns must of course go to Washington. It is not easy 
to determine the species to which an acorn belongs, with¬ 
out seeing the cup and the leaf. From the description 
of the cup being fringed, we think it is the over-cup 
white oak, the Quercus lyrata of Michaux. 
Indurated Clays. —We have received several samples 
of earth from Rufus Clark, of New-Brunswick, which 
have been examined by a scientific gentleman, who con¬ 
siders them indurated clays, similar to those found in 
various parts of New-Jersey; the white is of a fair qua¬ 
lity, and would probably be of service in the manufac¬ 
ture of pottery, and possibly of porcelain. 
A gentleman at Maysville, Ky. asks, if the soil he has 
described to us—a rich loam, which has lain some years 
in pasture, and has just been ploughed—is suitable for 
the Rohan potato, and whether we would advise to plant 
these potatoes and his corn in hills, instead of drills ? 
We respond affirmatively to all these questions—believ¬ 
ing that the culture in hills will be less expensive, and 
the product equally abundant, as if planted in drills. 
Moms Multicaulis. —In answer to the inquiries of S. 
Rosa, Painesville, Ohio, we are almost disposed to say, 
that people, now-a-days, esteem that kind of mulberry 
best, for the manufacture of silk, which they want to 
sell. We verily believe there is no great difference in 
the quality of the different mulberries for silk, under 
household management. The seed of the genuine mul¬ 
ticaulis cannot be had. The price of the trees ranges 
from 25 cents to 25 dollars. The Messrs. Prince of Flush¬ 
ing, advertise 65,000 trees, and trees are for sale at Phi¬ 
ladelphia, New-Jersey, &c. 
Tree Corn. —We have several applications for Mr. 
Thorburn’s Tree Corn, which, we are sorry to say, we 
cannot supply. It is to be had of the Messrs. Thorburn, 
in New-York and Albany, seedsmen. 
One of our subscribers in Indiana, Joshua Cotting- 
ham, writes as follows:—“Since I began to read the 
Cultivator, I have been adopting someof its recommend¬ 
ations, particularly in regard to rotation of crops. I find 
that by mowing my clover and grass one season, pastur¬ 
ing it the next, and then turning it in deep for wheat, 
sowing on the first furrow, and harrowing in the seed 
well, I get double the crop of wheat that my neighbors 
do.” Now, if Mr. C. raises 10 acres, and adds 10 bush¬ 
els to the product of each acre, as we may infer, by al¬ 
ternating grain and grass, his gain in a single year, by 
taking the Cultivator, in his wheat crop alone, is more 
than enough to pay for the Cultivator as long as he lives, 
though he should reach the next century. The average 
product in his vicinity, our correspondent advises us, is 
30 to 60 bushels of corn, and 10 to 30 bushels of wheat 
to the acre; and he expresses a belief, from his own im¬ 
provements, that the product may be doubled by manur¬ 
ing—a thing not there thought of—-and judicious ma¬ 
nagement. There is great danger, that the “ skinning” 
business will be carried to a prejudicial length in the 
new, as it certainly has been in the old states. 
Brussa Mulberry. —Sheldon Basset, of Hector, has 
sent us sundry interrogatories in regard to this tree.— 
All the reply we can make is, that the seed was origi¬ 
nally brought from Turkey, by Mr. Rhind, we think five 
or six years ago, and planted by the late D. Ruggles, 
Esq. at Newburgh. We saw the plants in the springs 
of 1837 and 1838, on the place of their growth. They 
appeared not to have been injured a particle by the win¬ 
ter, although much crowded and much of the wood slen¬ 
der. The seed has sold at $10 per quarter of a pound, 
which quantity has given fifteen to twenty thousand 
plants. We do not know that there is any seed for sale 
in this country. The plants may be had at the Albany 
Nursery, at fifty cents to one dollar each, according to 
size. The tree, it is presumed, may be propagated like 
the other varieties of the mulberry. The leaves are six 
inches or more broad. The growth from the seed last 
season, in a crowded situation in the nursery, was about 
two feet. 
Acknowledgements. 
We have received two apples from Mr. Rotch, of But¬ 
ternuts, believed to be vandeveers, tender, juicy, and of 
pleasant, though not of very high flavor—a fair, hand¬ 
some dessert apple, above the medium size and quality. 
The Tiffin, Ball and Water-fallow, from Mr. Thompson, 
of Catskill, together with a pear, name unknown, but of 
flavor strongly resembling the Seckle, in eating in De¬ 
cember and January. We received grafts of the Ball 
and Tiffin, from Mr. Saul, Lancashire, Eng. and sent 
them to Mr. Thompson, who propagated them. The 
Ball apple is of mammoth size, fiat, the stem inserted in 
a deep cavity, yellowish green colour, with a red eheek, 
in eating inNovember, juicy, but of mediumflavor. The 
Tiffin is a beautiful red apple, somewhat larger than the 
Spitzenburgh, but of similar shape; flesh crisp, yellow 
and sprightly—we think an excellent dessert winter fruit. 
The Water-fallow resembles in size and flavor the Fall 
Pippin, though later, as it comes in eating after the for¬ 
mer is done. It is from the middle states, and may be 
pronounced as good as the Fall Pippin, with the advan¬ 
tage of keeping longer. Two apples from Vermont, 
from Dr. James, of more than medium quality—both 
seedlings. See seed grain. 
Female Patronage .—Among 29 subscribers received 
in a letter last week, from the “ Bay State,” we recog¬ 
nize among them with great satisfaction, the names of 
sixteen ladies. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Great Rata Baga Crop—Mixing Soils. 
Schaghticoke , Dec. 1, 1838. 
Mr. Buel —Sir—I send you a statement of the pro¬ 
duce and culture of a patch of ruta bagas, which I 
have raised the present season, the profit of which, if 
not the greatest, I flatter myself, is not the least, 
which will be offered for your premiums ; as the sum¬ 
mer has not been favorable to the produce of large 
crops of turnips. The soil is a sandy loam, (general¬ 
ly so called,) but contains by far too great a propor¬ 
tion of sand to be termed good, and I think myself 
amply compensated for applying from 50 to 100 loads 
of clay per acre, in the increased products of the first 
two years. The manure was spread and ploughed in 
immediately before depositing the seed. They were 
sown the first day of June, in drills about two feet apart 
one way, and owing to a partial failure of the seed 
which was old, a foot or 18 inches the other, which I 
am persuaded was an advantage to the crop, as they 
grew very large; one weighed over 24 lbs. after being 
trimmed. The after culture was one dressing of 
plaster, which I think is of very great advantage to 
them, especially in a drought; three hoeings or weed- 
ings, in which care was taken not to earth them up 
at all. The harvesting is very much facilitated by 
using a hoe ground sharp to cut the tops as they stand 
in the ground, after which they are pulled with a hook; 
in this way two men will gather seven or eight hun¬ 
dred bushels of them in a day. I had 970 bushels, 
calculating 70 lbs. per bushel, from 126 rods, at the 
rate of 1,231 bushels per acre. I had another piece 
I think equally as good, which were not measured. 
The profit of the 126 rods is as follows: 
Dr. To 20 loads manure, at 25 cts. $5 00 
Carting and spreading the same, .... 3 00 
Ploughing, rolling and harrowing,.... 2 00 
Seed,. 0 37| 
Sowing, J day,. 0 25 
3 hoeings, 10 days, 6s. 7 50 
Harvesting, 6 days, 5s. 3 75 
Interest on land at $100 per acre,... 5 50 
$27 37% 
Cr. By 970 bushels ruta bagas, at Is. 3d.. $151 56 
Tops for fodder,... 5 00 
§ds manure for succeeding crops, .... 5 32 
$161 88 
Deduct charges,... 27 37£ 
Balance,.$134 50 
Profit $134.50, or $170.80 per acre. ===== 
I am trying an experiment in feeding them, which 
if important, shall be communicated to you and the 
public. Yours, &c. 
JOHN C. MATHER. 
Com Crop. 
Volney, Oswego co. Nov. 27, 1838. 
Mr. Btjel— Sir—I saw in your March number of 
the Cultivator, a premium offered on several articles 
of agriculture; I therefore send you a statement of 
one acre of corn raised by me this season, hoping that 
if I do not prove a successful competitor, the cause 
of agriculture may receive an additional witness in its 
behalf. The soil is a warm gravel; the corn was the 
twelve rowed yellow variety. About the 1st of May, 
I carried on and spread, all over the ground, seven¬ 
teen loads of stable and barn-yard unfermented ma- I 
nure, ploughed before the manure dried ; bushed and 
harrowed the ground well, being careful not to disturb 
the sod, which had lain to pasture four years ; and on 
the 14th and 15th of May, planted the same, three feet 
and three inches apart each way. It was dressed with 
seven bushels of good unleached house ashes, mixed 
with one and a half bushels of plaster, when it made 
its appearance above ground. On the 10th June, 
went through between the rows both ways with cul¬ 
tivator ; 18th June, cultivator both ways, then thinned 
to four stalks in each hill, and hoed out the weeds. 
On the 3d July, cultivator both ways, and commenced 
hoeing; put no more earth about the hills than we 
took from them, but carefully cleaned out all the weeds 
from the hills. The seed was prepared by rolling in 
tar water and plaster. The corn was cut up the 1st 
of September, at the ground, and shocked in small 
shocks, and on the 25th it was husked and housed. 
The product is 110 bushels of first rate corn, and 
6 bushels of second rate, making in all 116 bushels of 
corn, and four loads of stalks per acre. 
EXPENSE OF CROP. 
Ploughing 1 day and board,... $2 00 
Bushing and harrowing 1 day,___ .... 2 00 
Planting l£ days,. 1 13 
Hoeing 4 days,. 3 00 
Horse and hand with cultivator 2 days,..... 2 00 
Cutting and shocking 2 days,. 1 50 
Husking and housing 8 days,. 6 00 
Ashes and plaster,. 1 25 
Interest on land at $50 per acre, .. 3 50 
Thrashing corn 3 days,. 2 25 
17 loads manure at 25 cents,.$4 25 
Carting and spreading,.. . 4 25 
$8 50 
Deduct fds for succeeding crops, .... 5 66 
- 2 84 
Total charges, ...$27 47 
VALUE OF CROP. 
110 bushels sound corn, at 6s. 6d.$89 37 £ 
6 do soft corn, at 3s. 2 25 
4 loads stalks, at 8s. 4 00 
$95 62| 
Deduct charges,. 27 47 
Nett profit,..$68 15^ 
WILLIAM INGALL. 
I hereby certify that I am personally acquainted with 
the above named William Ingall, and believe him to be 
a person of veracity, and that the truth of his statement 
may be depended on. 
AARON G. FISH, Justice. 
Corn Crop. 
Port-Byron, Nov. 8, 1838. 
Judge Buel —Sir—As I have been a constant read¬ 
er of your valuable paper, the Cultivator, from its 
commencement, and think I have received much in¬ 
struction and profit by it, I take the liberty to state 
to you some facts, that I think may be for the encou¬ 
ragement of some farmers. 
Some time in March last, I commenced drawing 
manure from the barn-yard with two boys and a pair 
of steers, for the purpose of making them handy ; the 
most of the time we. used a horse before them. One 
of the boys lives with me, the other I hired at $5 per 
month. We drew the manure on a clover ley of three 
years’ standing, about three acres. We put on the 
whole, 150 common wagon loads, spread it as even as 
we could, then ploughed, turned it over smooth, rolled 
and dragged it well, and planted the 11th and 12th of 
May, with Robbins’ drill-barrow; planted what we call 
the 12 rowed yellow corn, but some ears have 20 rows, 
and from 10 to 15 inches long. Aimed to have the rows 
3 \ ft. apart, hills from 11 to 2 ft.; from 2 to 3 kernels in a 
hill; rows north and south. I soaked the seed first 
planted in warm water, with a little salt-petre in it. 
The drill did not work well; I then took the dry seed and 
planted the remainder of it, which generally came up 
well; but before I knew it, the crows and worms had 
devoured a great deal of it. I planted it over, and part 
of it the third time, with the little golden corn. It 
nearly all stood finely. 1 went through it three times 
with a horse and cultivator; hoed it well the first 
time, was not quite so particular the next. I think it 
the best piece of corn that I ever saw in the state. 
Sometime the fore part of September, we cut it up at 
the roots, and stooked it up, but did not husk any un¬ 
til 15th October. It turned out so well, and was so 
sound, that I thought I would measure an acre, and 
see how much was on it. So we took the August No. 
of the Cultivator, the square and a rope measuring 
two roods long, went to the field and measured an acre, 
according to the rule laid down in said number ; we 
measured the wagon box, or first load, 24 baskets full, 
holding almost 11 bushels each; we had on the acre 
169 baskets, or seven loads and one basket. We took 
one basket out of the heap, just as it came, and shelled 
