THE CULTIVATOR 
45 
This w^ill absorb the uriae of the animals, and subjected 
to the trampling of their feet, will, in the spring be fit 
for use, and a most valuable manure. 
FROST AS A PULVERIZER. 
Every farmer is aware that fineness of the soil, is an 
indispensable contlition to great productiveness. In a 
fine soil, the minute pores and rootlets are brought in 
immediate contact with the earth at many points, and are 
thus enabled to receive much greater supplies of nutri¬ 
ment than they could obtain in a coarser soil. Soils, the 
particles of which are fine, are also better conductors of 
heat or of moisture than others, and hence more fit for 
the general purposes of culture. Where sand predomi¬ 
nates in soils, friability and consequent fineness prevail; 
hut there are those in which clay exists to such an ex¬ 
tent as to render them, especially if worked when wet, so 
hard and compact as to render them wholly unsuitable 
for crops. Such soils, though productive when worked 
in a proper state, are in a condition for working a 
much less space of time, during the year, than drier ones; 
consequently the best method of working such, or ra¬ 
ther extending the time of working them, becomes an 
object of much moment to the farmer located on com¬ 
pact or clay soils. 
Undoubtedly the most effectual remedy for soils apt to 
consolidate by working, is draining; the evil in nearly 
every case being fairly traceable to an excess of moisture. 
This is retained by the superabundant clay, and working 
converts this to a mortar, which, whether wet or dry, is 
Utterly unfit for the production of crops. Draining redu¬ 
ces this excess of water, and leaves only such as belongs 
to the attractive power of the soil. In this state, mortar 
cannot be formed, and the soil must remain at all times 
fi-iable. But many of our farmers find themselves una¬ 
ble to encounter the expenses of draining, at least to 
any considerable extent, and hence the necessity of adopt¬ 
ing the best remaining way of cultivating soils, apt to 
form in masses by working. 
Next to draining, the most efficient agent in themian- 
agement of such soils, is frost. This is a most effectual 
pulverizer, and the farmer may compel it to perform a 
vast deal of useful labor for him. It is particularly use¬ 
ful where spring crops are to be grown, aiding the pul¬ 
verizing action of the plow and harrow to an incalcula¬ 
ble extent. To avail ourselves of the action of frost as 
a pulverizer, it is necessary that lands should be plowed 
in the fall, the later the better, as in the latter case the 
soil feels the influence of the rains less, and that of frosts 
more, than when plowed early. If, for the crops intend¬ 
ed to be cultivated, manures are to be used, these should 
be placed on the ground before plowing, and then the 
surface turned neatly and cleanly over. This course is 
advisable, where long or fresh manures are to be used, 
although the deep plowing we would recommend where 
frost is to act, is entirely unfavorable to the immediate 
action of the manures on the young plants. On the con¬ 
trary, where rotted manures, or compost, is to be used, 
it may be applied to the surface in the spring, and har¬ 
rowed in with the seeds. The manner in which frost 
acts to render soils fine, is easily understood; it is owing 
simply to the expansion of the water when freezing. 
In soils which have an excess of water, it fills all the 
interstices, to the exclusion of air; whereas in soils that 
are permeable, or have onlj^ a proper supply of moist¬ 
ure, air exists in every part. No matter how closely 
soils may be compacted by the plow, or how wet they 
may be at the time of working; if the water they contain 
freezes, the particles of earth are all separated, and the 
frost leaves the mass loose and friable. Land plowed in 
the fall or winter, intended to receive the benefit of the 
action of frost, should be worked as little in the spring 
as is possible, consistent with the good getting in of the 
crop; unless in the very driest condition, all trampling 
or working such soils in the spring, is undoing all that 
the frost has done, and rendering them dense and imper¬ 
vious for the season. It is obvious, that soils to receive 
the full" benefit of frost in fitting them for spring crops, 
should be as free from weeds, such as Canada thistle, 
&c. as possible, as otherwise they will get and retain the 
start of the sown crop. On soils infested with weeds, 
a second or spring plowing may be necessary, and unless 
as before remarked, the surface is very dry a compact¬ 
ness will be given, from which the soil will not reco¬ 
ver until after the action of the frosts of another winter, 
and which will be fatal to the cultivated crop. Unless, 
therefore, the necessity is an urgent one, second plow- 
ings should not follow on lands submitted to the action 
of frost, and where the necessity exists, only when the 
soils are in the driest possible condition. 
MR. COLMAN’S EUROPEAN AG. TOUR. 
We are glad to see that Mr. Colman's proposed Tour 
and Survey of European Agriculture, is every where 
hailed with great pleasure. We find the following no¬ 
tice of it in the Delaware Republican:—“ For the infor¬ 
mation and benefit of our many farmer friends and sub¬ 
scribers, we give in another column to-day, Mr. Col- 
man’s prospectus of his proposed European Tour and 
Survey; already there are many subscribers to this valu¬ 
able work in this county, and the merits of the underta¬ 
king and the talents and qualifications of the author, are 
alone necessary to be made known to the agriculturists 
of Delaware, to ensure several hundred subscribers to this 
work. He will be in fact, the first farmer ambassador 
and minister plenipotentiary to any European court, sent 
immediately from the ranks of the people, and we pre¬ 
dict the happiest results from his mission. In the first 
place,wc shall have a most graphic portrait and history of 
foreign agriculture-—their live stock, improvements, and 
rural buildings, and implements—then, we prophecy a 
correspondent good feeling reciprocated by his labors 
upon the agricultural products of the United States, and 
mark the prediction, before his tour is completed, the 
corn meal, the beef, the pork, the lard, the butter and 
cheese of this country, will be shipped to the English 
markets in place of the specie of our banks.” 
“THE SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL MASTER.” 
Education for the people, the instruction and eleva¬ 
tion of the masses, the diffusion of useful knowledge in 
every direction, is justly receiving a large share of at¬ 
tention at the present time, and we are happy to say, no¬ 
where are these important objects more closely and li¬ 
berally pursued, than in our own state of New-York. 
Democratic institutions, or institutions based on the will 
of the people; and all ours, both civil and religious, are 
of this class, can only be perpetuated, or safely managed, 
except when those who wield the power are intelligent 
and virtuous. This important truth, which lies at the 
base of our social superstructure, has not been without 
its influence on those who have in years past had the 
management of our educational policy, and is claiming 
a large share of the labors and attention of our wisest 
statesmen and far seeing patriots of the present time. 
We have no intention here of entering into a discus¬ 
sion of what is to be understood by the term education, 
or what amount of knowledge is necessary to make 
an educated man; it is enough to know that a man may be 
very learned, and yet be far from being an educated man; 
and that a man may be thoroughly educated for all pur¬ 
poses of utility, and yet have very little acquaintance 
with what is by many considered the essential part of 
learning. That man is an educaled man, whose mind 
has been so trained, that whatever may be the subject 
presented, he is ready to seize it as it offers itself, over¬ 
come the difliculties that present themselves, and mold 
it into circumstances of practical utility. Mere learning 
never does this; the training, the education, the accus¬ 
toming one’s self to think, reason, and act, is want¬ 
ing. While, therefore, we look with no disfavor on 
the higher bi'anches of learning, we do not consider 
them as necessarily, or even remotely, included in the 
term education; particularly, the kind required by the 
great mass; the thinkers and actors of the American 
people. Learned men we are not anxious to have our 
farmers become; educated men they must be, or fail to 
realize the high destiny which should be the aim of 
every American citizen. 
The measures taken by this state in favor of the edu¬ 
cation of the people, have certainly been of an enlight¬ 
ened and liberal class, and if all has not been effected 
that the friends of education could wish, the progress 
on the whole has been very satisfactory. The organi¬ 
zation of the common schools, and their endowment 
with the academies of the state, by the formation of the 
literature fund; the addition of the money derived from 
the United States distribution fund; the important move¬ 
ment of furnishing libraries to each school district; and 
the appointment of deputy superintendents, whose time 
is to be occupied in arranging, overseeing, and render¬ 
ing more harmonious and effective the diversified sys¬ 
tem of teaching, hitherto acted upon in the several coun¬ 
ties; all show that the state has kept its watchful care on 
this great interest, and devoted its means to the service 
of education, in no stinted or limited measure. 
Individual effort, too, has not been wanting to carry 
forward more effectively, the causeofjgeneraleducation; 
one of the most honorable and useful, as we believe, of 
which has resulted in the preparation, publication, and 
distribution of the volume named at the head of this ar¬ 
ticle. Many of our readers will remember, that a num¬ 
ber of years since James Wadsworth, Esq., of Gene- 
seo in this state, offered a premium for the best work on 
education. Circumstances prevented the offer taking ef¬ 
fect in the manner proposed, yet it is probable to that of¬ 
fer we owe our system of School District Libraries; and 
to it we are now indebted for the publication named 
above, and intended for all those concerned in the man¬ 
agement of, or interested in the progress of schools. 
The volume is a joint production from two distinguish¬ 
ed teachers and scholars, men thoroughly acquainted 
with the matters of which they treat. The first part en¬ 
titled “The School,” is from the pen of Prof. Potter, of 
Union College; the second part “The Schoolmaster,” is 
from the pen of G. B. Emerson, A. M., well known fo^ 
his ably directed efforts in the cause of popular education. 
By the liberality of Mr. Wadsworth, a copy is to be 
placed in each school district in the state; and also in 
the hands of the Governors of the several states, and the 
superintendents of common schools in the several coun¬ 
ties of the state. The expense to Mr. Wadsworth will 
exceed $8,000. Issued as the volume is, with the ap¬ 
probation of the State Superintendent of schools, and 
valuable as it is for its suggestions, its general circula¬ 
tion can scarcely fail to give a decided impulse to school 
instruction. To every such effort we bid God speed. 
Let the state, let individuals continue their labors to ed¬ 
ucate and elevate the masses. The expense of giving 
education to all, will be less than will be required to 
counteract and punish the vices consequent on ignorance, 
and it is in this form that the question of education pre¬ 
sents itself to the reflecting mind. 
About 25,C03 persons have taken the benefit of the 
bankrupt law. 
OBiTUART.---We regret to learn from the Western 
State Journal of Syracuse, that that firm friend and en¬ 
lightened advocate of agriculture, Silas Gaylord of 
Skaneateles, is no more. His death took place very 
suddenly, on the 30th of January, after an illness of only 
a few hours. He was at the village of Skaneateles on 
business, in the morning, and returned home slightly 
unweU. At 2 o’clock a physician was sent for, and at 
half past five he was a corpse. 
The sudden demise of Mr. Gaylord will be severely 
felt by the friends of an improved agriculture, and asso¬ 
ciated efforts for its promotion, in the county of Onon¬ 
daga. For several years previous to the organization of 
the present county society, through the efforts of Mr. 
Gaylord and a few other congenial spirits in Skaneate¬ 
les, a town society had been in operation, the meetings 
of which were well attended, and evidently produced 
an excellent effect in exciting inquiry and extending 
information among the farmers of that fertile and most 
beautiful section of the county and state. Few if any 
individuals in the county, have done as much as Mr. 
Gaylord to call the attention to improved breeds of ani¬ 
mals, or made more liberal expenditures in introducing 
them for the benefit of the public. 
Mr. Gaylord was a member of the society of Friends; 
and his beautiful situation on the western margin of the 
Skaneateles lake was marked by that neatness, good or¬ 
der, and thrift, so characteristic of that most valuable 
class of our citizens. His farming processes were well 
conducted; his barns, implements, and modes of feed¬ 
ing, all of the most approved kinds; and every part of 
his farm bore the marks of industry, directed by intel¬ 
ligence. A warm hearted friend, a kind neighbor, and 
a good citizen, as such he will be missed and lamented; 
but the farmers of the county will most regret his ab¬ 
sence from their social gatherings, his sound advice, 
and the active intelligence he brought to the agricultu¬ 
ral societies of which he was an efficient member. 
Peace to his memory. 
The other Picture _Our correspondent, ‘‘ J. M. 
E.” of N. Carolina, who from being a merchant in the 
city, to gratify his taste for rural pursuits, turned farmer, 
gives us rather a doleful account of his first year’s expe¬ 
rience. We can only give the substance of his state¬ 
ment. He says:—“I bought a Durham cow at a high 
price, which soon died. I had a ‘fine mare,’ and she 
ran away. I planted in the spring, 28 bushels of Irish 
potatoes, and dug only 150—from 10 bushels of sweet po¬ 
tatoes planted, dug only 50. I solved 5 bushels grass 
seed, and never got a seed back again, nor hardly saw a 
stalk. I sowed some spring rye, and had it not been for 
a row of cherry trees, should never have known where it 
was. I bought a fine horse for $115, and sold him this 
winter for $50. I put up four razor-backed pigs, fed 
them four months, and then they weighed about a pound 
less than when first put into the pen. I bought 40 ducks 
and only one of them ever laid an egg, not even on a 
‘ Sunday.’ The hawks caught all my chickens; the hogs 
eat all my goslins, and we finished the last gobler on New 
Year’s day. Out of 35 hogs I lost 17, and also two of 
my four cows.” Here is a catalogue of mishaps long 
enough to dampen the ardor of even the most determin¬ 
ed; but they do not thus affect our friend. He says:— 
“ But ‘none of these thing move me’ to despair. I have 
now, 1843, commenced a new year in as good humor as 
ever before, marked ‘ this side up with care,’ and with a 
resolution of total abstinence from the use and traffic of 
all negroes and liquor.” With the energy which this 
spirit indicates, we doubt not J. M. E. will be able to 
give a better account of his second year’s operations. 
Fattening Cattle on Linseed Oil _Col. John 
Prince of Jamaica, Mass., states in the N. E. Farmer, 
that having read in Monk's Ag. Dictionary, that five galls, 
of linseed oil (raw,) will fat a beast sooner than £5 
sterling in any other way, he determined to try the ex¬ 
periment on a large sized cow. He says:—“I dried her 
up at pasture, and early in autumn determined she should 
be fatted on oil. I ordered one pint to be well mixed in 
half a bushel wheat bran, to be for one day’s food, with 
such hay as she would eat. She refused absolutely to 
eat of it, until the third day, after which she came to and 
became fond of it, and in one week we could perceive 
she was gaining finely. After using five gallons, I pur¬ 
chased two more. I then, for a fortnight, gave Indian 
meal in lieu of the oil. I then offered her for sale to the 
butchers in my vicinity: they all examined and declared 
her uncommonly well fatted, but as she had been fatted 
on oil, they were afraid the meat would not be good. Fi¬ 
nally. one young man gave me $9 per 100lbs; (she weigh¬ 
ed 798 lbs.) I never saw finer looking meat, and the 
purchaser several times afterwards, told me his custo¬ 
mers often spoke of the superiority of that beef, not know¬ 
ing it had been oil fed. One or two years after that, I 
fatted a yoke of oxen. One I fed on oil, the other on 
meal and vegetables. They were very fat, and I fully 
thought the oil fed one did not cost half as much to fat¬ 
ten, as the one on meal and vegetables. I have not fat¬ 
ted any beef animal since, or I should have adopted the 
oil plan.” 
“H.andling.” —Good judges say they can tell the 
quality of an animal as well by feeling as seeing. Col. 
Jacques, of Charlestown, at a recent agricultural meet¬ 
ing in Boston, said:—‘‘ The handling of the animal is of 
very great importance: a soft, silky, elastic skin is desi¬ 
rable. Take an ox with a hard, wiry touch, and raw 
boned, and there is no use in trying to heef him; you 
might as well stick down two stakes, throw a buffalo 
hide over them, and put your roots and grain down be¬ 
fore that.” 
