THE CULTIVATOR. 
114 
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of turpentine would prove equally efficient if diluted 
with muddy water, as it will not mix with that whichis 
pure. 
The cedar owes its exemption from insects and from 
decay, to its resinous properties, which are obnoxious 
to the insect tribes, and which exclude moisture. It is 
stated, that cedar has been recently dug out of the 
ground, on the site of ancient Utica, which must have 
been buried more than two thousand years, in a sound 
condition. 
The English Agricultural Society, 
Has just held its first anniversary meeting; and so 
far as we are enabled to judge from their labors thus 
far, the society is likely to prove of immense advan¬ 
tage to the nation. It appears frcm the first annual 
report, that there are already 1104 members of different 
classes; that its subscriptions amount to about $36,000; 
that ten prizes have already been awarded for prize es¬ 
says to be read before the society; that an extensive 
correspondence has been opened with the agricultural, 
horticultural, entomological and statistical societies of 
Europe; that geological collections are being made, and 
the basis of a library laid; that the first number of a 
journal, containing their proceedings and prize essays 
was commenced in April last, &c. The report concludes 
with a list of prizes to be awarded, amounting to some 
thousand dollars, and of the prominent objects which 
are primarily to engage the attention of the society. 
Of the latter, the following are the heads : 
1. Classification of soils. 
2. Permanent improvement of soils. 
3. Productiveness of seeds. 
4. Manures. 
5. Rotation of crops. 
6. Stock. 
7. Mechanics of agriculture. 
8. Diseases of cattle and plants. 
9. Grass farms. 
10. Physiology of agriculture. 
We note these heads as constituting the great points 
of improvement in the agriculture of every country, and 
particularly in the agriculture of the United States, and 
as calculated to produce, in the investigations to which 
they will lead, the highest advantages to civilized soci¬ 
ety. And we repeat the remark, in a hope of stimulat¬ 
ing to the organization of a like society in our country, 
upon a liberal and enlightened scale, that the English 
Agricultural Society embraces men of the highest 
standing in the kingdom, in reference to rank, influence 
and science. With us, unfortunately, our great men are 
too much engaged in politics, in commerce, or in specu¬ 
lation, and either do not appreciate justly the importance 
of agricultural improvement, or have not leisure or patri¬ 
otism to bestow proper attention upon it. 
The Great Principles of Agriculture 
Are the same every where. Animal and vegetable 
matters constitute every where the food of plants; and 
heat, moisture and atmospheric air, universally, the 
active agents of vegetable nutrition. With a know¬ 
ledge of the truth of these great principles, it is the 
province of man to apply them, under the various con¬ 
tingencies of climate, soil, aspect and seasons. And 
this is a labor in which the mind, enlightened by science, 
and fortified in its conclusions by experience, can do 
far more than the hands. The cultivated mind, like 
steam-power, is a labor-saving principle, Capable of per¬ 
forming, or of saving, an immense amount of labor. 
The efficacy of Green Crops as Manure. 
We do not remember to have seen a more successful 
experiment made with green crops as a manure, or a 
stronger proof of their great value, than was made by 
John Kelly, of Essex, Mass, and communicated by him 
to the agricultural society of that county. The experi¬ 
ment was made upon a sandy plain. The customary 
crops were from eight to thirteen bushels of rye, and 
from thirteen to thirty bushels of Indian corn per acre. 
Grass would not grow upon it. The green crop was 
charlock, or wild mustard, which sprung up spontane¬ 
ously, and was ploughed under three times successively 
as it came into bloom. The land had been the three 
preceding years in corn, enough to exhaust good land. 
The charlock was ploughed under the 18th ol June, the 
7th of August, and the 14th of September; the seed was 
sown immediately upon the last furrow, as the plough¬ 
ing progressed, and harrowed in. The piece contained 
one acre and thirteen rods, and yielded forty-three bu¬ 
shels and three pecks. 
Mr. Kelly did not think the experiment quite complete. 
“To render it more so,” he says, “I would not turn a 
furrow after the dew had evaporated. I have no doubt but 
a large portion of that fertilizing quality in the soil, which, 
(during the summer months,) is continually exhaled from 
the earth, is by the dew brought again within our reach, and 
it would be wise to avail ourselves of the opportunity of 
laying it again in the soil. And in the second place, I would 
by all means use a heavy roller after each ploughing. It 
would fill all the crevices left by the plough, and by press¬ 
ing the soil more closely to the weeds, at once hasten the 
decomposition, and very much retard the evaporation from 
the soil. 
“But the land is not only very much enriched by the pro¬ 
cess. There is, I conceive, no method by which it can be 
so thoroughly cleaned. Three times during the season, a 
fresh surface is presented to the atmosphere, and each time, 
as the decaying vegetable matter increases in the soil, so is 
the exciting cause augmented to make a more vigorous effort. 
We have in this manner gone over nearly all our land which 
is infested with charlock, and the diminution of the weeds is 
quite sufficient to warrant the expectation, 
years it may be comparatively eradicated.” 
that in a few 
This is scientific practice—the reasoning of a rural 
philosopher—-a cheap and sure means of cleaning and 
imparting fertility to an exhausted or poor soil. In re¬ 
gard to the utility of ploughing in the dew, we have 
been told of a case in point, which took place some years 
ago, in Pittsfield. A poor laboring man asked permis¬ 
sion to crop a piece of ground belonging to a wealthy 
neighbor, which had been thrown into old field, as not 
worth cultivation. Permission was granted. As the 
applicant worked out upon hire, and could not lose his 
time, he contrived to do all the ploughing after sun¬ 
down, and before sun-rise. His crop was a very fine 
one; and the fine product was attributed to the circum¬ 
stance of the ploughing having all been done while the 
dew was upon the surface. These lessons should not 
be lost upon the reader. 
The Circumscribed Farmer, 
We mean such as possess a limited capital, and limit¬ 
ed desire for improvement, except in their own way, 
often decline taking an agricultural paper, because it 
teaches nothing, they say, that is adapted to their prac¬ 
tice, or that is graduated to their scale—because, in 
fact, it is not oral, and delivered by word of mouth, but 
has been subjected to the operation of the printing 
press. 
Let us ask these gentlemen, if they were disposed to 
have their son learn a trade, or to become a first rate 
farmer, would they select a teacher of circumscribed 
knowledge, who followed the practices of the last cen¬ 
tury, or knew only how to kill land —or one who was 
familiar with all the improvements of the age, and 
whose thrift in business would be a guarantee that he 
worked it right? Now the agricultural journal is to the 
circumscribed farmer, what the good teacher would be 
to the boy—an instructor in the improvements and best 
practices in his business—written by those who have 
made and adopted them, and have profited by them,— 
and for the particular benefit of those who have limited 
means, or cannot go abroad for the information they 
need. The modern improvements in farming go to eco¬ 
nomize labor, or rather to render labor more productive 
and profitable, and to keep up the fertility of the soil— 
two objects of as much or of more importance to the 
circumscribed farmer, than it is to the one of more ex¬ 
tended means. The man who takes an agricultural 
journal profits by the experience of hundreds; while he 
who takes none, can profit alone from his own, and 
from that of perhaps a few neighbors. The adage 
teaches, that two heads are better than one, the world 
over. 
These remarks are preliminary to some extracts we 
are about to make from John Lorain, a philosopher 
and a first rate farmer, written for the special instruc¬ 
tion of circumscribed farmers, to whose notice they are 
respectfully recommended. 
“In this country, land is very cheap: an excellent ready 
cash market for the produce of the soil generally prevails. 
This offers every rational encouragement to the poor but in¬ 
dustrious farmer, who depends principally on his own labor, 
and that of his family, for cultivating the soil occupied by 
him. He is but little affected by the high price of labor, or 
the idleness and insolence of workmen, which take place in 
every country where labor is scarce, unless the laws be op¬ 
pressively severe. 
“ The principal reason why this class of farmers so seldom 
become wealthy, and but too frequently continue poor, is 
the desire of immediate returns from cropping, and the mis¬ 
taken idea that the profits to be derived from rearing live 
stock, progress too slowly to answer their purposes. This 
induces them to crop the soil yearly, with but little attention 
to grass or an increase of cattle, until their grounds become 
so much exhausted that rest is absolutely necessary to pro¬ 
cure crops worth gathering. The soil being greatly impo¬ 
verished, and the seeds of the grasses destroyed, as far as 
perpetual ploughing and cropping can effect this ruinous pur¬ 
pose, the grounds rest with no other covering, but that of 
some scattering and debilitated grass and weeds. This ex¬ 
poses the soil to the very injurious action of the sun, wind, 
washing rains and melting snows. When such grounds are 
ploughed for crops, instead of being richly stored with grass 
roots, and well covered by their tops, scarcely any vegeta¬ 
tion is found to replenish them, or to nourish the crops grown 
on them. 
“These ruinous practices naturally introduce poverty of 
soil, and its inseparable companion, poverty of purse. This, 
however, is not all; it entails on posterity the wretchedness 
introduced by their inconsiderate forefathers, or an Hercu¬ 
lean task to counteract the curse of poverty, which their 
negligence had introduced. Whether Satan is also the in¬ 
stigator of this evil, I do not presume to determine, but cer¬ 
tain I am, that it is much greater, (so far as farming be con¬ 
cerned,) than the curse entailed on the soil by the fall of 
Adam. That seems to consist simply in brambles and thorns, 
including in these, such other vegetation as would compel 
man to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. This curse 
we may all see is irrevocable, but we may also, at the same 
time observe, that if man complies with heaven’s mild decree, 
and removes those obstacles to the growth of plants, which 
better suit his purpose, agriculture flourishes, and his ration¬ 
al wants are abundantly supplied. 
“But when the hand of folly introduces the additional 
curse of poverty on the soil, this insatiable monster, like 
Aaron’s serpent, swallows all the rest. Even brambles, 
thorns, &c. (the mild chastisement of heaven,) cannot pros¬ 
per where poverty has obtained dominion over the soil, as 
may be readily seen, for this and every other vegetation 
grown on such grounds, looks sallow, starved and debilitat¬ 
ed. 
“ That man is inexcusable, and ought to be punished for 
this sin against common sense, himself, his posterity, and 
the community in which he resides, is evident. 
“Before this inconsiderate being enters the forest, glade 
or prairie, nature had been for ages enriching the soil for his 
use, in the way that has been described. The fertility of it 
might be preserved and increased, even by the circumscribed 
farmer, if a system of agriculture calculated to keep the 
ground fully replenished with decaying animal and vegeta¬ 
ble matter was practised, and due attention were paid to the 
augmentation of live stock, in proportion to an increase of 
ability, instead of the ruinous practice of perpetual ploughing 
and cropping. 
“Reason, alone, demonstrates this interesting fact. It has 
also been clearly proved by actual practice, in almost every 
neighborhood, by the successful enterprise of farmers, who 
commenced their business on lands bought on credit, and 
covered with timber, without any buildings on them, and 
with not more than a pair of working cattle, and cows barely 
sufficient to supply the family with butter and milk. Nay, 
more—some who were not half as well stocked as this, have 
paid for their land, acquired an extensive stock of cattle, and 
become wealthy, although their mode of management was 
very inferior to that which has been proposed. They, how¬ 
ever, increased their live stock in full proportion to the means 
furnished by the system of management employed by them. 
“ From first to last, they have been enabled to live better, 
and vastly more independently, than those who relied prin¬ 
cipally on the plough. The cause of this is evident; milk, 
butter, cheese, wool, meat, hides and manure, are continu¬ 
ally increasing. It is evident that but little manure can be 
obtained in the beginning; however, where that little is 
spread, the product is greatly increased, as is also the fertili¬ 
ty of the soil for a succeeding crop, and the grasses following 
it. Where a plenty of good grasses and hay prevail, young 
cattle will grow as much or more in one year, than they do 
in two when kept on pasture, fed bare during summer, and 
on straw through the principal part of the winter. 
“It is considered proper to remark that, although many 
circumscribed farmers make considerable progress in increas¬ 
ing their live stock, their laudable enterprise, however is too 
often suddenly checked, before they obtain half the number 
of domesticated animals necessary to the proper cultivation 
of their grounds. 
“This evil originates in the prevailing error, that huge 
piles of stone and mortar, or boards and scantling, are the 
best means that can be pursued by the cultivator to improve 
his farm. Hence it is, that we see almost in every part of 
Pennsylvania, where it is possible to effect this mistaken im¬ 
provement, extensive barns and dwelling-houses standing on 
farms, where we do not observe half the quantity of grass, 
or number of cattle, necessary for the proper cultivation of 
the surrounding soil.” 
The Northern Shepherd, 
Is the title of a 12mo. volume sent us by the Kenne- 
beck Agricultural Society, for which we tender our 
thanks. It is a report made to that society, by a com¬ 
mittee appointed for the purpose, upon the diseases and 
management of sheep. It is divided into three parts, the 
first on the mangement of sheep, prefaced by a short de¬ 
scription of the various kinds among us; the second on the 
diseases of sheep ; and the third miscellaneous. From 
the cursory examination which we have been able to give 
to the work, we think it will serve as a valuable compa¬ 
nion to the sheep-master and shepherd. 
There are some general principles laid down and in¬ 
culcated which we think important ones, and which we 
propose briefly to notice; and although we do not in¬ 
tend to go into an argument to prove them to be sound, 
we think most of them are so palpably true, that the read¬ 
er will only need to be reminded of them to approve 
and adopt them in practice. 
Wool, and not mutton, being the great object in Maine, 
a preference is given to the Merinos; and hopes are ex¬ 
pressed, that by a judicious attention to crossing, the 
grand point of improvement aimed at will ere long 
be obtained, viz. a Merino fleece upon a Bakewell 
body. 
The South Downs seem to rank next to the Merino, 
as having the next finest fleece, as affording excellent 
mutton, and as possessing a hardiness of constitution, 
and a vigor and activity, which enable them to support 
and to thrive upon bleak and barren hills, where the 
Dishleys would die from exposure or starve. 
“ Sheep should not be kept too high,” says the report, 
“unless intended for the butcher; for it is believed to 
be a true maxim in regard to them —‘ once fat and ne¬ 
ver fat again.’ If they once become fat and are suffer¬ 
ed to fall away, it is difficult getting them so fat as they 
were before Ihey began to grow poor.” p. 27. 
High rocky pastures are much the best for sheep. —“Na¬ 
ture, it seems, designed the sheep originally for a moun¬ 
tain animal; and although man has by art changed its 
nature in a surprising degree, yet he has not been able 
wholly to thwart her views, and the sheep loves still to 
feed on the hill top and cliff, where there is a pure and 
exhilarating breeze, and where it can shelter itself un¬ 
der the shade of trees, or a projecting rock, during the 
heat of our sultry dog-days. A high pasture should 
therefore be devoted to your sheep.” 
Salt and tar should be given to sheep.—“ A piece of 
salt may be laid in a trough, and the sheep will lick it 
as they please, and if some tar be added to the salt, it 
will be a benefit to them, as tar is a very good stimulant 
when taken into the stomach, and it prevents annoyance 
from the different species of flies.” We would recall to 
the recollection of the reader, the mode of administer¬ 
ing these as practised in Spencertown, and published in 
our second volume. A log is hewn upon one side, which 
is then turned uppermost. It is then perforated upon 
the hewn side, with hole made by a large auger, two or 
three inches deep. The holes are then filled with salt, 
and the hewn surface smeared with tar. In obtaining 
the salt, which the sheep are permitted to do as often 
as they desire, their noses become daubed with tar, 
which prevents the fly from entering the nostril. 
