162 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Thomas Turner, Albany —Plums, grapes, pears, Ro-fjlPremium for best specimen green house plants 
o « notn+Anti irnll ATrr rvvwl v*nrl "t r\ W1 ofooc L pole />Q V»Ko r»QC f&I t n Tn w ^ 
han potatoes, yellow and red tomatoes, beets, cabbages,! 
carrots, 4 varieties corn, ruta baga, largest French 1 
E umpkin, weight 112 lbs., celery, squashes, onions, dah-J 
as, and a lot of flowers. 
Robert Neely, Albany —Isabella grapes and plums. 
jOr. B. P. Staats, Albany —Egg plums. 
J. Whalen, Albany —White eggplants, tomatoes, nas-| 
turtium in pickle, grapes, dahlias and other flowers. 
JohnB. Hudson, Albany —Purple brocoli, fine carrots,| 
egg plants, long and turnip beets. 
Jacob Mayer, Albany —1 large pumpkin. 
John E. Lovett, Albany —Magnum bonum and eggjj 
plums. 
Thomas Dowling, Albany —3 sorts seedling potatoes. 
Edward Fortune, Albany —Onions, large water-me¬ 
lons, tomatoes, beets, mangel wurtzel, parsnips, carrots. 
7 year pumpkins, crook-neck winter squashes. 
Judge Woodworth, Hyde-Park —Onions, carrots, sugar 
beets, extra large; mangel wurtzel, very large size; 
purple egg plant, Lima beans, Rohan potatoes, turnips,! 
seedling Victoria potatoes. 
C. N.Bement, Albany —Superior white carrots, (a new| 
variety,) long blood beets, mangel wurtzel, tomatoes. 
Wm. Bement, Albany —Squashes, parsnips, onions, 
carrots, mangel wurtzel, very fine. 
The committee appointed to award premiums on Ve¬ 
getables, having examined them throughout, and being 
highly gratified in the extensive show displayed on this 
occasion, would remark, that many to whom premiums 
were not awarded, were deserving of them, although 
the premium list excluded them. They, therefore have 
awarded the premiums as follows: 
Largest pumpkin, weight 112 lbs. to Thos. Turner, $2 00 
Next largest, 110 lbs. to J. H. Loucks,. 1 
Two largest heads cabbages, to C. Gilchrist,.... 1 
Two next do. do. to Daniel Payne,.. 1 
Best variety winter squashes, to Edward Fortune, 2 
Best tomatoes, to Charles Buel,.. 1 
Best fruit of the egg plant, to A. P. Heartt,. 1 
Best variety winter potatoes, W. Elder,. 2 
Two best heads brocoli, to J. P. Hudson,. 2 
Six do. do. celery, Theophilus Rossole,.... 1 
One dozen turnips, for family use, from Judge 
Woodworth, of Hyde-Park, Dutchess county,. 
One doz. best carrots, for family use, P. Ashton,. 
One doz. do. do. for stock, to C. Gilchrist,.. 
One doz. best ruta baga, for stock, to J. Faley,.. 
Half doz. best sugar beets, for stock, to Judge 
Woodworth, of Hyde-Park,.. 
Half doz. best mangel wurtzel, to C. N. Bement, 
Half doz. best beets for family use, to W. Buel, . 
Half doz. best parsnips, for family use, to J. W. 
Smith,. 1 
Half doz. best salsify or vegetable oyster, to Theo. 
Allen, of Hyde-Park.,... 1 
One doz. best onions, to Edward Fortune, .. 1 
Half peck best Lima pole beans, to Judge Wood- 
worth, . 
Half doz. white carrots, (disc, pm.) to C. N. Be¬ 
ment,. 1 
Half doz. yellow tomatoes, (disc, pm.) toT. Booth, 1 
Three varieties seedling potatoes, (disc, pm.) to 
Thos. Dowling,. 2 
German greens, (disc, pm.) to P. Henry,. 1 
Kohl rabi, (disc, pm.) to P. Henry,. 1 
Two Spanish pumpkins, (disc, pm.) to Daniel 
Payne,... 
ANDREW E. BROWN, 
CHA’S BUEL, 
JESSE BUEL, Jr. 
The committee appointed to award premiums on Fruits, 
would award the following premiums: 
Prem. 1, 2 largest bunches grapes, to J. Whalen, $5 
“ 2, Next largest bunches Isabella grapes, to 
R. Neely,. 3 
“ 3, For white Sweet Water grapes, to Mr. 
Benson, of Hudson, .. 2 
4, 1st on pears, to C. Gilchrist,.. 5 
5, 2d on pears, to Gen. Dix,. . 3 
6, 1 doz. best variety apples, to Wm. Buel, 5 
1 doz. next best variety apples, to Cha’s 
Gilchrist,... 3 
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will aid the operation by preventing the excessive heat 
which the lime would engender. 
Lime, as I understand it, not only betters the texture 
ol a clay soil, but its causticity particularly is destructive 
of any acidity in it ; and so are the saline parts of sea¬ 
weed, as I believe, and propose explaining presentlv. 
Perhaps before the causticity of the lime is exhausted 
by a contact with green vegetable fermentation, or with 
the soil, but assuredly after, its greatest use is as a sti¬ 
mulant or solvent of the vegetable or animal manures 
within the soil, and for whatever of pabulum may be 
Acknowledgements. g requisite to the fibre or rigidity of the plant in sustaining 
, We acknowledge the receipt of a small box of theiS ° f r’ C Wi " ds ■? r fi hiI «. attai “ i ? B 
Scuppernong Grape, from David White, Esq. of Newby’s fi V W Z a exemplification of the 
Bridge, N. C. in fine condition. Fruit very large and|S “ irfe is ^ Vege ^ ble sub ? tances > on boards 
highly perfumed. ® ' 
to James Wilson,... 2 
Premium for greatest assortment of plants' in 
pots, to J. Whalen,... 2 
Premium for greatest assortment of hearts’ ease, 
to W. Elder, ... i 
ALEXANDER ROSS, 
WALTER ELDER, 
__ _ MARTIN LOWE. 
W. Thorburn, Recording Secretary. 
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Also, some fine Quinces, being the product of two| 
small stems, from Lemuel Bassett, Esq. Ovid, Seneca I 
county, N. Y. 1 
On Sea-Weed. 
Wheat-Sheaf Farm, Staten Island, 
Sept. 16, 1839. 
J. Buel, Esq.—Dear Sir—In your last number, you 
expressed a wish ‘“to receive a communication from 
some person familiar with the subject, as to the best 
mode of preparing sea-weed, and of applying it to the 
soil.” I will not say that I am myself as familiar as I 
may become on further experience, with the best mode; 
though I have read much of it, and, as attentively as I 
could, have noticed the practical coincidence of what I 
have read with the result of my own, and the usual 
neighboring modes of using it; and I believe I have 
read essentially all that can be found published, as the 
result of practice or science, in relation to it. 
On turning to page 135 of your same number, among 
the very excellent observations of Henry R. Madden, 
Esq. of Edinburgh, we find much of what may be said 
of it. The sea-weeds of the coasts of Scotland and Ire-' 
land are, no doubt, in most respects, similar to ours. 
Those of our coast, as well as theirs, fall within thel that humectation which could be given to it from a re¬ 
general botanical descriptions of Algae, Fuci, and Con¬ 
ferva. The similitudes may be traced distinctly in 
Loudon, where the forms of the entire plants are given. 
Though beneficial to a sandy soil of good composition, 
they have been found, I believe, mostly so to a clay, 
and well calculated to divide its tenacious or adhesive 
qualities. They are here usually ploughed in with or¬ 
dinary manures, after they have become dry and short, 
through the limited fermentation spontaneously occur¬ 
ring in the sea-weed heap; or after they have been 
00i!taken thence, more or less dried, used as barnyard or 
way litter, and thus become incorporated with the ma¬ 
nure. 
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The minute splinters left in boards by the 
teeth of the saw, if soggy or prone to rotting, whitewashed, 
become hard and indurated, and seem checked in their 
progress to decay by the lime, and the wood is perfectly 
solid. The same result will be visible if it be applied 
while yet caustic to dried hay or straw. When lime is 
brought immediately in contact with animal substances, 
as with oils, it corrodes and solidifies them ; with animal 
juices, it assails and operates similarly on them, leaving 
nothing but the mere aqueous fluid; with animal flesh, 
it checks its putrifactive progress, and as it were petri¬ 
fies it; with effluvia, it absorbs it. The chemists say, 
probably with truth, what the lime takes up, or renders 
insoluble, in time it will give back again. This, though 
true as to a part of the substance imbibed, may or may 
not be as to much of it : but if even so, it should be re¬ 
collected that the object of applying manure is to benefit 
the first, as well as the future crops; and the first is 
dependent entirely, whatever may be the supply put 
into the soil, upon that portion of the manure which is 
immediately soluble ; and if that be held in suspense by 
the lime, the first crop at least will suffer. This not 
unfrequently happens with the farmer as to his manure. 
For the want of an admixture of a portion which is 
readily soluble, his crops come up ahead of the manure, 
and leave him to suppose it not so effectual as he had 
anticipated; an argument, by the by, for blending ma¬ 
nure with the soil before its moisture is assailed and 
evaporated by the drying influence of the sun, and for 
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On such applications, a free use of the sand ofl grass more visibly) the weeds dry, a white efflorescence 
the seashore is also made, intermixed with it, if intended | of salt gathers upon the surface, which rains wash away, 
for a clay soil, for several reasons — on account of its 
saline humidity, and the known attraction for moisture 
of stony or silicious substances once wet with salt wa¬ 
ter; of the superior influence of sea sand (in which of 
course no clay is to be found) above ordinary sand, ini 
servoir in or about the barnyard for the liquids, and an 
admixture of it at the moment of taking it out for use. 
But I am digressing. To return : as to sea-weeds— 
I would then first use them green, as far as my farm¬ 
ing wants might require or permit. 
Next. If the supply be sufficiently extensive, (with me 
it probably is 800 two-ox cartloads annually,) I would 
use it liberally as litter in every and any shape about 
my stables, cattle stalls, hogpens, barnyards and muck 
roads; and that too in opposition to common practice, 
as far as practicable, while green ; because, it will be 
perceived by those who use it, that as (with the wrack 
and this salt is one of its most valuable properties. If, 
while passing from its green state, its succulent, muci¬ 
laginous and saline properties escape into the materials 
for manuring which environ it, the vegetable remains of 
the weed, divested of its natural juices, will, in escaping, 
^amending the composition of a clay soil; on account ot fl serve as an absorbent of other useful liquid brought in 
iJi the frequent admixture with beach sand, of the granula-If contact with it. 
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tions or particles of minute sea shells, which the fric¬ 
tional action of the sea on its stones breaks up, and in¬ 
termixes with it; and also of the operation of the sand 
on the vegetable substances brought into contact with 
it by the tread of cattle, and which the acute angles of 
the sandy pebbles cut and divide, thus accelerating the 
division of the vegetable matter, and hastening its pre¬ 
paration as a manure. 
Sea-weed is also in some instances wind-dried, with 
little or no fermentation, and thus used for littering 
horses and cattle, thence finding its way to the manure 
heap. This practice is well enough with such surplus 
as may be gathered over and above all the farming sup¬ 
ply that can be ploughed in green, which has ever been 
considered, elsewhere than here, the best course with 
every description, except that particular species of the 
Fuci class known as the Zostera marina (wrack grass,) 
a long (say two or three feet) flat leaf or spear, a six-j 
teenth of an inch wide, which, in the heap, hangs to-1 
gether in large masses. This is more difficult to decay 
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1 doz. best peaches to Wm. Buel,. 2 00§< than the rest; but when short, answers a very useful 
1 doz. best quinces, to Joseph^Hall,.... 1 OOp object, over and above its saline and vegetable proper¬ 
ties as an amendator of the texture of clays, in which 
its detached short pieces will remain visible for many 
years, dividing its particles. This weed could be rea- ( 
dily and expeditiously broken or cut fine by a horse-1 
4 water-melons, large size, to E. Fortune, 3 
ISAAC DENNISTON 
R. M. MEIGS, 
A. P. HEARTT. 
The committee appointed to decide the premiums on 
Floivers, fyc. would report that they have awarded the 
premiums as follows: 
1st premium for 25 best dahlias to G. C. Thorburn, New 
York,...$20 00: 
2d prem. for 25 next best do. to James Wilson,. 15 00 
3d prem. for 25 next best do. to J. Buel & Co.,. 10 00| 
4th prem. for 25 next best do. to Prof. Jackson,. 
5th prem. lor 25 next best do. to A. P. Heartt, 
Troy........... 
1st prem. for best design for a centre ornament 
of a table of flowers, to J. Buel & Co.. 5 
2d prem. for do. do. to Wm. Buel, ........ _ 3 
1st premium for best boquet of flowers, to W. 
Elder,. 2 
Premium for greatest variety boquet flowers, to 
J. Buel& Co............................. 3 
5 00i 
3 00 
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j power operation and machine, similar to the teeth and? 
concave and convex of the common thrasher; and then 
that too would be best ploughed in green. Its length 
entire would render the operation of ploughing it in, if 
at all possible, extremely difficult, and then it would 
remain undivided by decay too long for free tillage. 
Although I, for my own part, entirely disagree with 
the practice, so often urged, of applying lime, out of the 
earth, to vegetable manures which have been cured, or in 
any way deprived of their succulence or mucilage, or to 
animal manures or substances in any shape, I would 
use it freely with all kinds of the sea-weed while green; 
because the lime in that contact will become effectually 
divested of ail its causticity, be thus readily fitted for 
fimmediate action on vegetable growth and the soil, and 
twill by its heat overcome the check to fermentation 
Iwhich the saline impregnation of the weed gives to 
|them. If the heap in this state be occasionally wet, it. 
A third, and very beneficial mode of using sea-weed, 
is by incineration. Reduced to ashes, its properties 
become concentrated, and it is both powerful as a ma¬ 
nure and useful commercially. The carbonate of soda 
of commerce is obtained by lixiviating the ashes of sea¬ 
weed. The best variety is known by the name of ba¬ 
rilla ; an inferior kind, known by the name of kelp, is 
prepared from sea-weeds on the northern shores of Scot¬ 
land, and may be so anywhere where it is to be found. 
The purest barilla always contains potassa and soda, 
and the chlorides of potassium and soda; each of which, 
though perhaps most profitably employed in the manu¬ 
facture of soap and glass, would, if applied as a manure 
to the soil, operate powerfully, and at the same time, 
from its strong alkaline influence, serve as a solvent to 
other manuring substances in the soil. 
I believe the sea-weed, though best in this point of 
view if ploughed in green, even in its dry state, a cor¬ 
rective of the acidity of a soil. On a field, the soil of 
which was probably the poorest of my farm, and in 
which I was preparing to put rye, my carts had depo¬ 
sited some green sea-weed in heaps, with the intention 
of spreading it before ploughing. A want of time pre¬ 
vented the execution of this purpose in the way pro¬ 
posed, and it was thinned with a fork around the small 
heaps as it lay, after it had become dry, and ploughed 
in with the manure for the field. As the crop grew, the 
grain rose in its growth most visibly within the circum¬ 
ference of the sea-weed thus spread around the heaps, 
and so much so as to be remarked by all about the farm, 
and to leave no doubt of its influence. The next year, 
as the grass came in succeeding the rye, some sorrel 
was seen generally over the field, but none was visible 
within the circumference of the sea-weed; and the grass, 
in comparison with the rest of the field, was visibly im¬ 
proved, and yet continues so. The sea-weed used on 
this occasion was of the species familiarly known by the 
name of chowder; a very thin leaf, very aqueous, and 
prone to rapid decay. 
The principal kinds in use as a manuring material on 
my shore, and generally in this vicinity, are the Zostera 
marina above alluded to, (sometimes called, here and in 
England, wrack grass ,-) the chowder also before named, 
and rock weed. There is also occasionally intermixed a 
