THE CULTIVATOR. 
51 
by books and papers, they possess all the information the 
age can afford; and the success of these enterprising men 
is working a silent, but certain revolution in every coun¬ 
ty and every neighborhood. 
Now what can the state do for these men? It cannot 
add to their means, or increase their motives for exertion; 
certainly not, by dividing among them a small sum of mo¬ 
ney, as premiums for the finest crops or stock. I think 
the farmers of this country could answer with some pro¬ 
priety, as certain merchants once did, when asked what 
should be done for them; let us alone,” was their sig¬ 
nificant reply. The cause of agriculture is advancing 
with great certainty, and not very slowly. And first 
among the causes, stands the agricultural press, particu¬ 
larly such papers as the “ Transactions” and the “Re¬ 
ports” of committees, on the various subjects assigned 
them. Next is the all-pervading and silent influence of 
the example of the successful farmer, appealing directly 
to the interest, without much exciting the prejudices of 
his neighbors. I would not omit the mention of agri¬ 
cultural shows; let their value be duly estimated; and so 
the kindly influence on the social feelings, of the speech¬ 
es at an agricultural dinner. 
In regard to an Agricultural School, although it may 
look promising in theory, in its practical details, you will 
find it a very difficult affair to manage, especially for a 
government or a corporation. If we must have a school, 
would it not be better to leave it to the direction of in¬ 
dividual enterprise? Would it not be better for every 
young man to learn the practical part of his profession 
with his father, or at least on the private establishment 
of some well informed practical farmer. His Chemistry, 
Oeology, Surveying, Mechanics, and every other neces¬ 
sary branch of science, he will of course learn in those 
institutions, equally open to him, as to those of any other 
learned profession. 
I know we are pointed very significantly to the insti¬ 
tutions of this kind in Europe, and to the fostering care 
exercised towards agriculture by some of the European 
governments, as if to shame us republicans, for our re- 
missness in this matter. But the grand difference in our 
institutions alters the case entirely. In Europe, the go¬ 
vernment stands on the other end; the few are enlighten¬ 
ed, the many are with great difficulty reached by any 
motives to improvement; they never lead, but they must 
be led and encouraged by all the means that can be 
brought to bear on their minds, by those who stand at 
the sources of influence. But here, agricultural know¬ 
ledge and the means of improvement, are in the hands 
of the many, the owners of the soil, who have every mo¬ 
tive for the advancement of their profession. Shall we 
then talk of government offering patronage to the farm¬ 
ers? The farmers are the patrons of government. 
Dutchess CO. Feb. 1, 1843. N. Reed. 
APPLICATION OF MANURES. 
Editors of the Cultivator —In forwarding you 
my subscription for 1843, which I do with much plea¬ 
sure, as I consider it a dollar well laid out, I will take 
the opportunity of making a few remarks on the (to 
farmers) all important subject of manure, which appears 
now to be receiving the attention, I will not merely say 
which it deserves, but which mankind are now compelled 
to pay to it; for in England, as well as on this continent, 
severe cropping, with non-adequate returns to the soil, 
has brought many fine farms to so low a state, that the 
owners must either restore them to their former capa¬ 
bility of production, or be ruined. 
It is strange, considering mankind have been cultiva¬ 
ting the soil since the days of Adam, that no one has yet 
discovered the best method of restoring its productive 
powers; one man tells us, that we should take the un¬ 
fermented dung and straw from the farm yard, and care¬ 
fully plow it well under, without allowing the sun to 
■shine on it for an instant ; by these means we lose none 
of the gases, the only valuable part, which penetrate the 
clods, render them friable, and furnish food, not only 
to the roots, but gradually escaping from the earth, are 
absorbed by the leaves, which, being furnished with re¬ 
spiratory organs on their under side, inhale the exquisite¬ 
ly refined nutriment—and, by their dark green surfaces, 
show in a few days how well they have fared. This 
method being one of the easiest, finds many supporters. 
Next month, we are told unfermented manure may do 
in some soils; but the writer of this second communica¬ 
tion, assures the world, that from long experience he has 
found that the best way is, to make every thing you can 
rake and scrape from farm yard, ditches or ponds, into 
heaps, and these should be turned and well mixed when 
the fermentation has generated a considerable degree of 
heat; he then states, that he does not approve of plow¬ 
ing the manure under, as you thej-eby lose most of the 
goodness, by filtration; he recommends simply harrow¬ 
ing in the compost, taking care to spread it very evenly. 
Now, what is a plain matter of fact farmer to do, 
when he reads such contradictory statements? From all 
that I have read, both in the Cultivator and other pa¬ 
pers and books, I have come to the conclusion, that 
neither farmers, professors or doctors, as yet know much 
on the subject, and from the recorded experience of 
many of your correspondents, it is evident that what 
suits one kind of soil does not suit another, and what 
makes it more difficult still, is that what is beneficial to 
one kind of plant or crop, is injurious to another, even 
on the same soil. It is a good plan for all to contribute 
their experience, and I will now state one or two facts 
and observations for others either to confirm, disprove 
or draw useful inferences from the same. First, the sun 
does not exhale all, perhaps not any of the useful parts 
of manure when spread abroad; as a proof, spread ma¬ 
nure the end of April, on a portion of grass land, and 
observe if the crop is not heavier where ihe manure was 
spread, than other parts (of equal quality) that had no 
manure; also observe, in a pasiui’e field not too closely 
fed, and round each spot where a cow dunged early in 
the summei', will be seen a ring or margin of grass taller 
and greener tJian elsewhere; also, nature spreads all her 
manure on the surface, dried leaves, blades and stalks of 
grass, weeds, &c. &c. Secondly, filtration is imaginary; 
during the fall of 1840, I burnt out several old stumps, 
but did not scatter the ashes they made; during the whole 
of the summer of 1841, a belt 12 to 18 inches wide sur¬ 
rounded the spot where each stump had stood, of taller 
and greener grass than any other part of the field, and 
the same superior verdure lasted all last summer; the 
soil was light and sandy ; surely the rain and snow of 
two years ought to have carried all potash beyond the 
reach of the roots. What further proved to my mind 
that the salts do not filter down into the earth, some of 
the stumps had stood on little hillocks as they often do; 
where that was the case, I observed the verdure lessen¬ 
ing as it descended the side, probably two feet, when the 
effect seemed lost. Again, I have seen spots where cat¬ 
tle had been penned at night for a month or two; for six 
years afterwards, the vegetation was double on that spot 
to any other part of the field, although all the manure 
had been carefully removed and scattered about; now, 
nothing but the liquid could have gone into the earth, 
and yet the rains of six years never washed away the 
beneficial effects. 
I once sowed some garden seeds where a large roll 
pile had been burnt; those I sowed without disturbing 
the soil beyond raking in the seed, did well; a square 
yard or two I dug the depth of a spade, and on that part 
I had a miserable crop, and every man who has formed 
a garden on fresh cleaned land, knows that his first crop, 
when the roots will not allow him to dig or plow, is a 
good one, and not until he has dug and manured the 
ground for 3 or 4 years does he raise vegetables equal 
to the first year. My own views and deductions from 
these facts I will not now state, as I wish others more 
able, to comment on them first. I shall have no objec¬ 
tion to reply, or state what I think, at a future period. 
Goderich, U. C. Jan. 1843. Quercus. 
REPORT ON COWS, HEIFERS, &c. 
In publishing an account of the State Fair in the Nov. 
number of the Cultivator, the following report was omit¬ 
ted : 
The Committee of the “ N. Y. State Agricultural So¬ 
ciety,” on Cows, Heifers, and Heifer Calves, comprising 
Classes V, VI, VII. and VIII, respectfully report: 
That they have attended to the duties of their appoint¬ 
ment, in which they experienced the embarrassment usu¬ 
al on such occasions, from finding the animals numerous, 
while the premiums were/etc,—but adopting the rule that 
a majority in number of the committee, should of course 
in all cases be decisive, they arrived at the following 
results: 
[For list of awards, see Nov. number, 1842.] 
Your committee found it no easy matter to decide a- 
mong so many/a? calves as were shown in class VIH, 
their respective merits and faults being alike covered 
and hidden by flesh, so much so that they were really 
better adapted for the inspection of a committee of butch¬ 
ers than of breeders. 
The practice, now too common, of fattening breeding 
animals for exhibition, is not only wholly without utili¬ 
ty, but is so bad and injurious in every point of view, 
that it ought to be discountenanced. 
It will not fail to be noticed that the foregoing pre¬ 
miums are given to animals of the valuable breed known 
as “ Durham Short Horns,” against which kind there was 
on this occasion, no other breed shown in competition, 
except Herefords, of which there was a beautiful and 
very creditable exhibition, consisting of a portion of the 
herd of Messrs. Corning & Sotham, some individuals of 
which, this committee would highly commend, espe¬ 
cially as being good specimens of that important quality, 
good haiidling, always essential to excellence. 
Your committee, (of which a portion, if not a majo¬ 
rity, is composed of what might be called “ Short Horn 
men,” either by preference or interest, as Short Horn 
breeders,) from motives of delicacy, not to say generosity, 
did not deem themselves called on to decide between these 
two rival breeds, and against the Herefords, which would 
have been for the most part, and in effect, their decision, 
if made on this occasion. 
In England, the home of both breeds, where beef is the 
first and almost the governing consideration, the Here¬ 
fords as a breed, it is well known, have long maintained 
a sharp and often successful competition with the Short 
Horns, fov feeding purposes, especially as a grazing stock; 
while it is claimed, and now generally conceded by well 
informed dispassionate persons in England, that the tcell 
bred Short Horns have the merit of earlier maturity, and 
are also entitled to the preference for stall feeding, and 
more especially and decidedly so for dairy purposes, in 
which the Short Horns and their crosses are believed to 
excel all other breeds, and that the pure bred jnales of this 
breed are capable of improving all other breeds of cattle; 
certainly a most important consideration, and especially 
so, in this and all the northern portion of the United 
States. 
It is understood that the Herefords have not yet been 
sufficiently tried in this country as milkers, in the absence 
of which, there seems to prevail at present an unfavorable 
impression of them as dairy stock, which impression it is 
to be hoped may soon be done away, if, as their friends 
claim, the Herefords are really a superior milking breed. 
Some of their crosses with native stock, now existing in 
Massachusetts, descended from an importation of Here¬ 
fords made many years since, by Admiral Coffin, are un¬ 
derstood to have proved excellent milkers. 
It is besides claimed for the Herefords, that they will 
make good imrking cattle, being strong and active, which 
is not doubted. It is also conceded that the quality of the 
Hereford beef is excellent. Therefore, taking no more 
than a fair view of their case, the Herefords must in all 
probability, prove a highly valuable stock in those por¬ 
tions of this country where the grazing of cattle for beef 
is a primary object. 
Under these cii'cumstances, your committee would ask 
in behalf of the newly imported Herefords a fair chance, 
—and that they be allowed after coming from on ship 
board, to get well upon their feet, before they “enter the 
lists” against the now well established Short Horns. If 
the Herefords are cherished and encouraged for a time, 
it is to be hoped that the now favorite Durhams, may 
by-and-by, in future competition, find in them “ foemen 
worthy of their steel.” 
If the Herefords were distributed in more hands, so as 
to give room for competition among themselves, your 
committee would suggest the expediency of hereafter 
offering premiums for them in a class distinct from other 
breeds. Also for North Devons, a highly useful and most 
valuable breed, especially on light soils, and in hilly dis¬ 
tricts of country. 
Your committee cannot in justice, close their report, 
without remarking that the want of information as to 
how the animals had been fed, also as to the milking qua¬ 
lities of the cows, and occasionally as to the pedigrees,wa.St 
much felt by the committee, who in the absence of this 
needed information, were in many instances left to grope 
their way in the dark to a decision, of course in some ca¬ 
ses, by no means satisfactory even to themselves. Nor 
did we find persons in attendance, to lead out the ani¬ 
mals for a more full and careful examination, especially 
as to their style of carriage or movement, which it is need¬ 
less to remark, is, as well as form and handling, an essen¬ 
tial element of any intelligent opinion, or critical deci¬ 
sion on their merits. All of which is respectfully sub¬ 
mitted. 
David C. Collins, of Hartford, Ct. Chairman. 
I. S. Hitchcock, Charles Broom, 
W. K. Townsend, R. L. Allen, 
Albany, Sept. 29, 1842. Committee. 
HINTS TO FARMERS. 
Editors of the Cultivator —“ Economy means 
management, and nothing more; and is generally ap¬ 
plied to the affairs of a house and family; which affairs 
are an object of the greatest importance, whether as re¬ 
lating to individuals or to a nation. There never yet 
was, and never will be, a nation permanently great, con¬ 
sisting for the greater part, of wretched and miserable 
families.” In every view of the matter, therefore, it is 
desirable that the families, of which a nation consists, 
should be “happily off;” and “this depends in a great 
degree, upon the management of their concerns.”—(Cob- 
bett’s Cottage Economy.) 
There are few farmers, who manage in every respect, 
all their concerns to the best advantage. Yet there are 
very many who are constantly guilty of errors, the re¬ 
sults of which are truly embarrassing; one of which is be¬ 
ing too often repcateil to pass without notice. It is this: 
selling upon credit. It may be that I am getting upon 
eontrovp-ted ground; be this as it may, my observation 
at least confirms it. When the farmer sells the product 
of his farm “ on time,” he mostly is compelled, as a 
matter of course, to risk the results of the commercial 
enterprise of the purchaser. If the result is favorable, 
he is paid; if not, a crop, or the labor of a year, is lost. 
It may, however, be said that it is wrong for the pur¬ 
chaser or merchant to sustain all the losses. But let it 
be remembered, that the merchant risks for the chance 
of speculation or great gain. If he be successful, the 
farmer gets but the price of his labor; if he should be 
unfortunate, the farmer has to share the loss. The rule 
does not work both ways, and is therefore not a good 
one. 
But I have another reason. Farmers are generally less 
acquainted with human character than most other classes 
of men, and therefore more liable to be imposed upon. 
The merchant who is in the daily habit of scrutinizing 
human character, is much less liable to be imposed upon, 
than an individual who is pursuing the quiet pursuits of 
an agricultural life. The one, from his profession, is 
wary; tlie other, unsuspecting. Who has not witnessed 
with mortification, the two frequent instances of indi¬ 
viduals of ruined fortunes, purchasing “ upon time,” the 
produce, not only of a single farmer, but of a neighbor¬ 
hood. Within my limited observation, it has certainly 
too often occurred. It is bad “ economy,” and so long 
as farmers continue selling upon credit, many, very ma¬ 
ny, will be made poor and miserable. “To live well, 
to enjoy all the things that make life pleasant, is the right 
of every” farmer, “ who constantly uses his strength ju¬ 
diciously and lawfully,” under a well directed economy. 
There is yet another thing in relation to selling, 
which I consider bad “economy.” It is not selling so 
soon as agricultural products are ready for market. Ma¬ 
ny persons are in the habit, when they cannot get just 
the price they wish, to hold over for the market of next 
year. Hogs are sometimes turned out of the pen when 
