50 
B3¥K5fe 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
noxny in taking time by the foretop—in destroying the 
weeds while they are small. The cultivator or hoe 
should be passed through as soon as the rows can be' 
well discerned, and as nigh to the plants as possible. 
One days’ work is worth more in destroying small weeds 
than four days work is in destroying large ones, which 
overtop and choke the plants. The objects which should 
be aimed at, are to keep the crop clean, to thin the 
plants to eight or ten inches, and to keep the surface of 
the soil mellow. With a timely use of the cultivator, 
and repeated once or twice, these objects may be effect¬ 
ed without great aid from the hand hoe. 
The labor of harvesting the ruta baga is less than 
that of any other root, except perhaps the mangold wur- 
zel; and indeed the remark will apply to the labor of 
culture without any qualification. Other root crops re¬ 
quire attention nearly two months longer than this does, 
and at a season too when their growth is slow, and the 
labor consequently tedious and expensive. 
The turnip should be the last crop gathered, because 
it grows the longest, is least liable to suffer from frost, 
and is most apt to be injured by fermentation, when col¬ 
lected in heaps for winter. If buried in pits, the roots 
should be raised above the surface of the ground, and 
laid up to terminate in a ridge—so that when they are 
covered with straw and earth, the heated or impure air 
of the pit will concentrate at the ridge on the top, where 
it should be suffered to pass off freely, through holes 
made for this purpose. 
The cost of raising the ruta baga is less than that of 
raising corn, or any of the other roots. The average 
product may be stated at 600 bushels, and it is often 
double this quantity. The root is an excellent food for 
every species of farm stock, and is very extensively used 
for fattening both beef and mutton. Milch cows fed 
with ruta baga should have daily access to salt; and 
should the milk retain any flavor of the turnip, it may 
be got rid of by turning a pint of hot water into a pail full 
when it is drawn from the cow. Tops that are under¬ 
going fermentation, and roots that have partly decayed 
or are unsound, should be given only to hogs. 
THE TURNIP ELEA, 
Is one of the greatest scourges to "British husbandry. 
The Farmers’ Magazine contains a learned article upon 
this insect (Haltria rumorium) giving us its natural 
history, and containing an examination also of the various 
remedies which have been recommended to prevent its 
destructive ravages, embracing the applications of lime, 
sulphur, soot, urine, fumigation, &c. Although these 
remedies, or some of them, are admitted to have had 
partial success; yet none of them, in the opinion of the 
writer, Mathew M. Milburn, can be depended upon with 
any degree of certainty. He thinks Mr. Poppy’s plan 
of protecting the Swede valuable, which is to drill be¬ 
tween the rows the common turnip, which the flea seems 
to prefer to the Swede, and when the latter has acquir¬ 
ed the rough leaf to plough up the common turnip—yet 
he concludes by saying, that if attention is paid to the 
following particulars, he thinks the crop may be gene¬ 
rally saved. 
“1. Hasten the germination of the seed by all natural 
means as applying some portion of stimulating manure, sow¬ 
ing when a proper degree of moisture exists, and in close 
connexion with the manure, to secure to it atones the benefit 
of it to the roots, if possible, making most of the season when 
favorable. 
“2. Sow a liberal quantity of seed, never less than three 
pounds, and sow it in drills, which will hasten the vegetation 
after it has come up. 
“3. Clear the land perfectly, that no weeds may spring 
up to impede the growth of the plants, and give the soil a li¬ 
beral supply of manure suited to its character. 
“4. Asa preventive, rid ilie soil by hand weeding, horse 
hoeing, &c. as much as possible of weeds. 
“5. Select good seed, and test it before sowing, to see 
liow many germinate, and in how little time.” 
Schools of Agriculture. 
Propositions for establishing schools of practical and 
scientific instruction in agriculture, have been before 
the legislatures qf Ohio and Kentucky, and we believe 
of Maryland, during the last winter, with what success, 
we are at the time of writing this unadvised; and the 
subject has been agitated in other states. In New-York, 
we have an act of incorporation for the establishment 
of such a school, and we only lack the liberality, we 
may say the patriotism, to put it into speedy and suc¬ 
cessful operation. 
We ask our citizens of wealth, who are willing and 
desirous to do something for the future prosperity of 
the state, and we know there are many of this descrip¬ 
tion, to give this subject a few moments consideration; 
to reflect upon the bearings which schools of this kind 
may have upon the industrial, the moral, the political, 
and the social institutions of their country—upon them¬ 
selves and their posterity; and to decide whether they can 
render a greater good towards promoting these great 
objects of national and individual happiness, than in 
aiding in the establishment of these schools. They 
have sons whom they wish to see established in hono¬ 
rable and independent circumstances. What situation 
more honorable, or more independent, than that of an 
intelligent cultivator of the soil? At the meeting of the 
American Institute in 1837, the remark was made to us 
by two elderly gentlemen, one from New-Jersey and 
another from Albany, and at different times, thattwenty 
years ago, they were acquainted with almost every im¬ 
porting dry good merchant in the city of New-York, and 
that now there was not half a dozen of them alive and 
in good business! A moment’s reflection will satis¬ 
fy the experienced, that the mercantile business of 
our country is overstocked; that it is deceptive, hazar¬ 
dous and dependent—because its success must depend 
flpon the good will, and often upon the honesty, of others, 
and sometimes upon contingencies that are prejudicial 
to the country. Will you send your sons to the learned 
professions ? The avenues to these are already choked 
with votaries—and it is not the sons of wealth who ge¬ 
nerally distinguish themselves here—poverty and want 
—self-dependence—are the great stimulants here to in¬ 
dustry and success. And to make your sons merely gen¬ 
tlemen—to consign them to idle habits, or to make them 
the miserable dependants of official patronage, is the 
greatest disservice you can render them. It is a truth 
which few will deny, that most of the men of capital 
and of influence of the present day, are those who have 
from necessity been brought up to habits of business, 
and who have risen by their personal exertions; while 
many of the sons of affluence, from a lack of good early 
habits, have degenerated in property, in usefulness, and 
in character. 
Further—every man is interested, deeply interested, 
in the general character of the society around him. If 
this is bad-—if his neighbors are idle and ignorant, they 
are consequently poor, and are apt to be vicious. If 
they are intelligent and industrious, they are wealthy 
and respectable. Hence the importance to all, of ren¬ 
dering labor intelligent and productive. And the cha¬ 
racter and welfare of the state depend emphatically 
upon the character and welfare of the agricultural po¬ 
pulation. They are decidedly the primary source of our 
wealth, and the conservators of our republican habits 
and institutions. 
Agricultural schools constitute one of the most im¬ 
portant improvements of the age. They are calculated 
to make men industrious and useful, who would other¬ 
wise be idle and useless—to make those moral who 
might otherwise he immoral. Their tendency will be 
to improve society in various ways, without any appa¬ 
rent drawback to the benefits they promise to confer. 
And however slow we may be to adopt them, they will 
be established, they will be popular, and will yet large¬ 
ly contribute to improve the soil and the mind —to 
increase our wealth—to render us more independent, 
individually and nationally, and to beget a more enlarg¬ 
ed, liberal and tolerant spirit in our people and in the 
administration of government. 
Do we desire to make our sons lawyers, doctors or 
merchants, we feel the importance of placing them un¬ 
der good masters, who will teach them the principles 
and the practice of their business. Yet in husbandry, 
which involves more science than any other pursuit, 
which exhibits all the gradations in practice from very 
good to very bad,—and which is the great business of 
the state,—we seem not to care who teaches our sons, 
how they are taught, or indeed whether they are taught 
at all. 
Having been invited to give our opinion as to what 
would be a suitable provision for an agricultural school, 
and as to the manner of conducting such a school, we 
shall answer the inquiries by giving an abstract of the 
report made in 1833, to the New-York State Agricultu¬ 
ral Society, on this subject, and by stating some of the 
prominent features of the act to incorporate the New- 
York State Agricultural School. 
The report commences by stating, that the main ob¬ 
jects of an agricultural school are, to impart to this 
great branch of labor the efficient aids of science, and to 
furnish it with the best models of practice;—to teach, 
simultaneously, in the period of academic life, the 
practical operations of husbandry, and such branches of 
useful knowledge, as may tend to increase its products, 
and elevate its character,—or, in other words, the ob¬ 
jects may be defined to be— to make the man — the 
whole man— THE USEFUL MAN. 
To effect these objects, the plan should embrace— 
1. A farm of sufficient extent to afford room for the 
diversified operations of tillage, cattle and sheep hus¬ 
bandry, and of orcharding and gardening, on a scale that 
will admit of a fair comparison being made of crops, of 
breeds of cattle and sheep, and of the varieties of hardy 
fruits; and sufficiently diversified in soil and surface to 
admit of satisfactory experiments: 
2. A farm-house and farm buildings, which may serve 
as models of convenience, taste and economy, and ac¬ 
commodate the head farmer and his assistants: 
3. A school building, to accommodate teachers and 
pupils: 
4. A library and philosophical apparatus: 
5. Stock and implements for the farm: and, 
6. Shops for the construction of farm implements and 
machinery for the use of the farm, for the illustration 
of mechanical science, and to afford practical instruc¬ 
tion to the pupils in mechanics. 
The plan of education might embrace— 
1. Practical instructions in all the various operations 
and labors of the farm, the garden, the orchards and 
the shops; and, 
2. The study of the natural sciences generally, che¬ 
mistry, the higher branches of mathematics, mechanics 
and drawing, so far as they may conduce or become 
subservient to agricultufal improvement—together with 
such other branches of knowledge as will qualify the 
pupils for the higher duties of life—such as will fit 
them to become independent electors, discreet jurors, 
faithful magistrates, and wise and honest legislators. 
As prerequisites to admission to the school, the pu¬ 
pils might be required to possess a good common school 
education, to be at least fourteen years old, and of good 
moral character. Four years might constitute a course 
of studies -to make good farmers in practice—and gen¬ 
tlemen in intellect and manners. The police of the 
school might, in a measure, be conformed to that of our 
military school. 
_ A department of the farm should be set apart for expe¬ 
riments in husbandry, and the details and results of these 
experiments should be accurately registered. The garden 
and the orchard should contain all the good hardy fruits, 
and specimens of all hardy plants, that may he useful 
on the farm, in the arts, in commerce, or that are orna¬ 
mental—in order that the relative value of different spe¬ 
cies and varieties may he determined, and their mode 
of culture, and process of curing, taught to the pupils— 
and the approved kinds furnished for public distribution. 
To put the school into operation, there will he re¬ 
quired a principal, professors, teachers, a steward, &c. 
for the school; a first rate farmer and assistants for the 
farm; machinists for the shops; and a practical and 
scientific gardener for the garden and orchard. 
The preliminary expenses, for the purchase of a farm 
of 400 acres, erecting the buildings, providing the libra¬ 
ry, apparatus, stock, furniture, &c. was estimated at 
$57,550; the annual expense, for the first year, includ¬ 
ing Salaries of officers and others, and boarding 200 pu¬ 
pils, at $23,400 —making an aggregate of $80,950. The 
income of the school, including the products of the farm, 
and the tuition and board of 200 pupils, at $150 per an¬ 
num, Avas estimated at $34,000 —thus giving an excess 
over the estimated annual expenditure, of $10,600 —and 
showing, after making a liberal allowance for contin¬ 
gencies, &c. that the income Avould amply suffice to 
maintain and improve the school and farm, and to pay 
an interest upon the capital invested. The committee 
considered one hundred thousand dollars a sum adequate 
to the establishment of an agricultural school upon a 
broad and liberal scale, that will insure great benefit 
to the country, and a reasonable income to the proprie¬ 
tors. 
The law incorporating the New-York State Agricul¬ 
tural School, authorizes a capital of $100,000, with li¬ 
berty to increase it to $200,000. It contemplates a farm 
of four to five hundred acres of land, with suitable 
buildings, &c. It limits the dividends of the share¬ 
holders to five per cent per annum; and, in order to se¬ 
cure an efficient education in the practice, as well as in 
the theory, it requires, that during the eight summer 
months, the teachers and pupils shall devote at least 
one-half of the time to the practical business of the 
farm, the garden, or the shop. 
In Ohio, an excellent spirit has been manifested.— 
Two individuals, we are informed by our correspondent, 
have offered donations of $5,000 each, and a great many 
have offered less sums, towards establishing such a 
school. In Kentucky it is proposed to raise money by 
loan, to establish such a school. 
We believe the public mind is becoming fully satisfied 
of the utility of agricultural schools, not only as an 
efficient means of improving our agriculture, but as a 
means of fitting for usefulness, and for high public du¬ 
ties, a great many young men who have the misfortune 
to be born rich, and who are therefore in danger of 
dying poor, for want of some respectable employment, 
and an early instruction in its duties. Men of all class¬ 
es in society, to whom we have broached the subject, 
speak in high commendation of the project, and profess 
a desire to educate their sons in such an institution.—• 
Our late Avorthy felloAA r -citizen, James Caldwell, got up 
a subscription, on the event of a disastrous fire, for the 
relief of his felloAV sufferers, he being a large sufferer 
himself. On presenting it for signatures, all expressed 
great sympathy, and Avere sincerely sorry for the dis¬ 
tress of their neighbors. “Sorry !” exclaimed the phi¬ 
lanthropist—“ how much are you sorry ? Although my- 
■self a sufferer, I am sorry for them live hundred dol¬ 
lars. Now please to Avrile down how many dollars you 
are sorry.” We Avould apply this anecdote to our school. 
If all Avho wish it success, would do a little—or Avould 
express their good wishes in dollars, the Avork would go 
bravely and speedily on. One hundred individuals, by 
a liberal combined effort, would not only merit, but Avould 
command success. 
“ It is said,” remarks the Rev. W. E. Channing, in his 
lecture upon self-culture, “that any considerable education 
lifts men above their work, makes them look with disgust 
on their trades as mean and low, makes drudgery intolerable. 
I reply, that a man becomes interested in labor, just in pro¬ 
portion as the mind works with the hands. An enlightened 
farmer, who understands agricultural chemistry, the laws of 
vegetation, the structure of plants, the properties of manures, 
the influence of climate, wdio looks intelligently on his work, 
and brings his knowledge to bear on exigencies, is a much 
more cheerful, as well as a more dignified laborer, than the 
peasant, whose mind is akin to the clod on which he treads, 
and whose whole life is the same unthinking, ummprovirig 
toil. But, this is not all. Why is it, I ask, that we call ma¬ 
nual labor low, that we associate it with the idea of mean¬ 
ness, and think that intelligent people must scorn it? The 
great reason is, that, in most countries, so few intelligent 
people have been engaged in it. Once let cultivated men 
plough, and dig, and follow the commonest labors, and 
ploughing, digging and trades will cease to be mean. It is 
the man who determines the dignity of the occupation, not the 
occupation which measures the dignity of themau. * * * A man 
in the field seems to have more chance of improvement in his 
work, than a man behind the counter, or a man driving the 
quill. It is the sign of a narrow mind to imagine, as many 
seem to do, that there is a repugnance between the plain, 
coarse exterior of a laborer, and mental culture, especially 
the more refining culture. The laborer, under his dust and 
sweat, carries the grand elements of humanity, and he may 
put forth his highest powers. I doubt not there is as genu¬ 
ine enthusiasm, in the contemplation of nature, and in the 
perusal of the works of genius, under a homespun garb as 
under finery.” 
