THE CULTIVATOR. 
the abstract. Commentator must be aware that I merely 
defended myself against an attack that had .epeatedly 
been made on me. If the butter in re, wei’e spread on 
with too rough a hand, I can only promise my old friend, 
that in future contests, I will treat with all the suavitorin 
modo the support of truth will pei-mit. 
New-York, March 7, 1842. Wm. Partridge. 
TOWNLEY’S OBSERVATORY HIVE. 
Messes. Gaylord & Tucker —I send you a desci-ip- 
tion of my Obseryatory Hive, which possesses, in my es¬ 
timation, more valuable properties, taken as a whole, 
than any other that I am acquainted with. It has all the 
advantages of a common hive, as to capacity, cleanliness, 
and security against vermin, while at the same time it 
enables the apiarian to ascertain at all times the state of 
his colony, and of every individual cell, the progress of 
the brood, the quantity of provision, the existence and 
number of royal cells, and the probable period of swarm¬ 
ing. It aflbrds every facility for making artificial swarms; 
the queen may be followed in all her movements, and 
even in her laying. It is easy to open the hive and lay 
hold of her at any time. The whole of this observatory 
hive, is made to turn round on the shoulder of an up¬ 
right shaft, through which shaft the passage for the bees 
must of necessity be made, and which does not admit of 
a bore of above an inch in diameter. As however this nar¬ 
row perpendicular passage is of no great length,it need not 
be more than three inches; many thousands of bees will 
in the course of a few minutes, if necessary, make their 
egress and ingress through it without incommoding one 
another. This observatory hive consists of four frames; 
each frame contains two lights of glass, one on each side, 
to open at pleasure; each frame is 12 inches in height, 
and 10 in width, and I can open any particular leaf with¬ 
out interfering with the rest. It is also well adapted for 
artificial swarming. I have raised twelve queens in this 
hive at once, and took them out and made artificial 
swarms from them. The bee master has the whole in¬ 
terior completely under his eye, and at his disposal, and 
it presents great facilities for making experiments, and 
for observing the proceedings of the bees, which being 
prevented from constructing more than one comb, can¬ 
not conceal any part of their operations, as in other hives. 
The whole turns on an upright shaft, and when the ob¬ 
server is satisfied with inspecting one side of the comb, 
he may wheel the hive round and examine the other, 
without changing his station. By this mode of proceed¬ 
ing, he may contemplate his favorites at his leisure,with¬ 
out disturbing them, and without the slightest danger of 
being annoyed by them; for it is true that they become 
so much accustomed to the opening of the shutters, that 
the admission of light ceases to disturb them. In short, 
all the experiments that have ever been made, may be 
verified by means of this hive, the result found, and new 
experiments tried. Edward Townley. 
New-York, March 4, 1843. 75 Thompson st. 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY—ANALYSIS OF SOILS. 
Editors of the Cultivator —At the conclusion of 
a notice of Mr. Vanuxem’s Geological Report, in the 
March number of your valuable periodical, after speak¬ 
ing favorably of the manner in which that gentleman 
and myself have performed our duties, you remark that 
some matters of great practical importance have been 
overlooked by us. Allusion is then particularly made 
to the analysis of the various soils of the State, the 
want of which you seem lo think will cause much dis¬ 
appointment to the agriculturists, who have been among 
the most efficient friends of the survey. 
The following statement, which you are at liberty to 
publish, will, it is believed, at least so far as I am 
concerned, account for the omission lo which you refer. 
In the arrangement of the different departments of the 
survey, it was made my duty to examne the mineralogy 
of the State, and to execute the analyses of its ores, 
mineral waters, soils, and other useful products. It was 
soon found, however, that the territory which New- 
York embraces was too extensive for the completion of 
this plan in all its parts during the four or five years al¬ 
lowed for the work. My time was fully occupied in 
visiting the more important mineral localities, in select¬ 
ing illustrative specimens, and in the various analyses 
of ores, mineral waters, limestones, &c. &c. The ex¬ 
tent to which these personal examinations were carried 
in various parts of the State, may perhaps be judged of 
by the fact, that the total of the journeys made for the 
purpose is not less than 15,000 miles. To this may be 
added the preparation of five annual reports of the pro¬ 
gress of the work, each of which occupied from two to 
three months, and of the final report, which, after most 
of the materials were collected, kept me busily engaged 
for nearly a whole year. 
But as all this may not yet account for the fact that 
the analysis of our soils was neglected rather than other 
parts of the work, I may observe that, so early as 1838, 
my attention was directed to the subject, and I was about 
making arrangements for an extensive series of expe¬ 
riments. Several difficulties, however, soon presented 
themselves: one of these related to the proper arrange¬ 
ment and classification of the soils. I examined works 
on agriculture, and found great discrepancies in regard 
to these; and it seemed to me that, without some sys¬ 
tem, I might indeed execute analyses and perform ex¬ 
periments, but they would lack the very thing which 
was required to make them useful. A few specimens 
were wanted from different parts of the State, selected 
with reference to some arrangement by a person prac¬ 
tically acquainted with the soils, and who yet had sci¬ 
ence enough to comprehend fully the objects to be at¬ 
tained by such investigations. These views led to a 
proposition, made, I think, to the State Agricultural 
Society, that they would take upon themselves the direc¬ 
tion of this part of the survey; but I am not aware that 
any steps were taken on this subject, which is a matter 
of regret, as they might have given a proper direction 
to the observations of the geologists, and the analyses of 
the chemist. 
Another difficulty which presented itself, was in re¬ 
gard to the processes to be adopted in the analysis of 
soils. Organic chemistry was at the time in a chaotic 
state. The formula of Davy was confessedly defective, 
while the new ones proposed in this country appeared to 
me to be still more objectionable. The discussions which 
followed among our own chemists, and the able re¬ 
searches of Liebig, Johnson and others, abroad, have 
thrown some light upon the true modes and objects of 
such investigations; and yet I am satisfied the part of 
the survey, the omission of which you so much regret, 
■would, if now undertaken, lead to more useful results 
than could have been expected at any former period. 
It was my original design to divide the report from 
my department into three parts. First, economical mi¬ 
neralogy; second, descriptive mineralogy; third, geo¬ 
graphical mineralogy. The two first of these, already 
published, grew to the dimensions of an ordinary vo¬ 
lume, and I therefore gave up, at least for the present, 
the publication of the remaining part. It was my in¬ 
tention in this to have given a condensed view of the 
mineralogy of each county, under an alphabetical ar¬ 
rangement, and to have noticed such facts as might be 
thought useful to the artist or agriculturist. Should its 
publication ever be called for by the interest felt in the 
subject, the detailed examination of soils may then be 
advantageously introduced. Could not some of our 
practical agriculturists be induced to co-operate in a 
work of this kind? Yours, respectfully, 
Lewis C. Beck. 
New-Brtmswick, N. J., March 10, 1843, 
CULTURE OF SILK. 
Circular to Silk Growers, and to encourage the Culture of 
Silk. 
The subscribers having established themselves as silk 
commission merchants, with prospects of usefulness and 
success, will continue to attend particularly to the sale 
of American raw silk. 
From long experience in the silk business, it is ex¬ 
pected they may be of service in finding a ready market 
for American raw silk, and facilitate its production, by 
giving information of the management and care neces¬ 
sary to insure success. 
1. To raise silk of the best quality, it is of the most 
importance to obtain a good description of silk worm 
eggs, and not mixed or crossed of different kinds. The 
Mira-Belle or Italian Yellow Peanut cocoon, and the 
Large China, White and bellow, are good, and are be¬ 
ing successfully raised in many parts of the States. 
2. The eggs should not be permitted to hatch too 
early, or before the mulberry leaf will be in sufficient 
supply. June to July has been usually found the right 
season, and safest to raise the worms healthy. 
3. Only feed with fresh, sound, and dry leaves. Clean¬ 
liness also is very necessary, and a moderate use of lime 
has been found of advantage. 
4. The cocoonery should be arranged to be easily 
ventilated and protected from exposure or damage by 
storms or sudden changes of temperature, and from at¬ 
tacks of vermin. 
5. The earlier the cocoons are reeled off, the better 
will be the silk, and easier to reel. If not reeled im¬ 
mediately, it is necessary to kill the crysalis, and in do¬ 
ing so, the cocoons are liable to be injured by too much 
drying. It is sufficient and safe to dry them two or 
three days in the sun, or put in the oven for two or three 
hours after baking bread. 
O . The value of raw silk depends materially upon 
good, even and round reeling; a great deal of silk is 
entirely lost by want of practice in doing this properly, 
or being made of inferior quality. It is best to reel 
two threads of silk at once, of ten or twelve strands each, 
and which can be made round by crossing, and parti¬ 
cularly not to be flattened or matted together. Use a 
two yard frame, and put up in 2 oz. hanks. 
The worms from 5,000 eggs may be expected to re¬ 
quire from 100 to 150 lbs. of leaves before raising. The 
produce varies very much according to success and de¬ 
scription, and each one’s experience will alone give fur¬ 
ther data. 
Samples of silk, if sent early, as soon as reeled and 
ready for market, will have immediate attention, and 
sales will be made to the greatest advantage. Liberal 
advances will be made, when required, on consignments 
of raw silk and cocoons, on receipt and inspection of 
the quality. 
G. M. Haywood & Co., 128 Pearl-street. 
P. S. We have made arrangements to offer for sale, on 
early application, a good description of silk worm eggs, 
warranted, at 50 cents per 5,000; also, a proper and 
simple reel, at the cost of 1 lb of silk, by which a per¬ 
son can reel from 1 to 2 lbs. of good silk per day, 
and in the best way. All persons that raise cocoons 
are recommended to reel them also, and obtain the 
largest gain. 
i New-York, March 16, 1843. 
CULTURE OF SILK. 
On this subject, we have been favored with the fol¬ 
lowing extract of a letter from Geo. Allen, Esq. of 
Brockport, a gentleman who has had much experience 
in the business, to a member of our legislature: 
“ I consider that there is now but one obstacle to 
prevent the culture of silk from becoming a regular and 
certain business—one from which results may be calcu¬ 
lated with as much accuracy and confidence as any other 
branch of agriculture. This formidable obstacle is the 
liability of the worm to be affected with diseases of a 
fatal character. 
“ My experience and observation in the business, have 
led me to the following conclusions, as a basis for future 
operations: 
“ 1. That the diseases of the silk worm, above alluded 
to, are predatory, but not necessarily fatal to the first 
hatchings in a season, if duly attended to. 
‘‘2. That it is contagious, and when introduced among 
a family of worms in their advanced stage of existence, 
incurable. 
“3. That it is therefore unsafe to feed more than one 
crop in any apartment during one season. 
“ 4. That the worms designed for supplying eggs or 
seed should be fed and kept in a building entirely sepa¬ 
rate from those used for producing cocoons. 
“ 5. That the eggs should be kept in a temperature so 
low as to prevent them hatching until they are brought 
out and exposed to a suitable temperature. 
“ I think I may safely say that my losses, occasioned 
by diseases of the worms, the two first seasons, exceed 
one thousand dollars. A part of this loss may indeed be 
attributed to injudicious and inefficient management on 
the part of those to whom the business was entrusted; 
but notwithstanding this, there would have been a fair 
profit derived from the business, if the rooms had been 
free from disease. 
“ The bounty offered by the State affords encourage¬ 
ment to those who are prepared to avail themselves of 
it, to persevere in the business. I cannot suppose the 
law will be repealed; certainly I think it should not be, 
as I view it, in the present depression of other agricul- 
tm'al products, as of great importance to that department 
of industry; and I think those who encounter all the 
casualties attending its introduction, should be encou¬ 
raged by the legislature both of the State and nation.” 
RECLAIMING SWAMPS. 
Messrs. Editors of the Cultivator— I have been 
waiting some time to see the result of an experiment 
that I tried in reclaiming swamp lands. I will now 
tell you the manner in which it was done, and you are 
at liberty to use it as you please. The swamp was low 
and flat, difficult to be drained, covered with bogs, brush, 
&c., and as is usual on such lands, muck not deep. After 
draining sufficiently, grubbing out the brush, cutting the 
bogs, clearing it off, &c., I commenced dragging it about 
the last of June, 1840, wdth what I call a coulter-tooth 
drag, the teeth being flat and sharp, to cut instead of 
tear, like the common drag-tooth. As the drag passed 
over and tore up sticks and other rubbish, I had it 
raked up and carted off, to give the drag a fair chance 
to cut up and mellow the surface. That being, thorough- 
W accomplished, I sowed it with buckwheat and seeded 
with herdsgrass, very thick. I harvested a large crop of 
buckwheat straw, tolerably filled; the herds grass came 
up, but remained small until the next spring, when it 
began to grow, and made a large crop. I mowed it in 
August, when quite ripe, leaving considerable seed on 
the ground. Last summer, 1842, it was much thicker 
on the ground, the quantity somewhat increased, and 
no appearance of wild grass. I have now no doubt of 
its remaining the best of meadow. I also commenced 
washing sand on to atljoining lands, some that was filled 
with bullrushes, and some that was a hard, retentive 
clay, which had refused to yield any thing but a very 
light crop, even when manured. I prepared my fur¬ 
rows and ditches in the fall of the year, to carry the 
water where I desired. I carried the stream, before it 
arrived at the meadow, (having considerable fall) 
through a sand bank, so that with the force of the water 
and a trifle of labor, I could send any quantity of sand 
where I desired it. The result is what I anticipated, the 
destruction of the bullrushes, and in their place an in¬ 
creased quantity of good grass; and on the clay soil, 
where it was scarcely worth mowing before the sand 
was washed on, I mowed the past season, as far as the 
sand had been spread, or even the rily water extended, 
a fine crop of the best kind of hay. I have tried cart¬ 
ing on the sand, which has some beneficial effect, but I 
think not near equal to what it is when washed on—the 
water seeming to assist the sand in penetrahng the clay. 
I remain truly your old friend. 
Frock & Trowsers. 
Claverack, March 20, 1843. 
Grafting.— Melt a little beeswax and tallow together, 
and if it is at hand, stir in a little powdered chalk, and 
while hot dip in some strips of old calico or cotton cloth. 
Tear them into strips of such width as may be most con¬ 
venient to wrap around the stock and scion. Let the 
stock and scion be covered, so as to prevent the escape 
of the sap or the introduction of water, and the work is 
done. This will, I think, be as good as the surgeon’s ad¬ 
hesive plaster, or any more complicated or expensive 
grafting wax. B. B. 
