80 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
QDriginai Papers from Contribtitors. 
AGRICULTURAL PREMIUMS. 
The New-York State Agricultural Society and the 
County Societies, have hitherto offered most of their pre¬ 
miums on Domestic Animals and Farm Implements. 
Generally from two-thirds to three-quai-ters of the whole 
amount offered, have been for these two objects. It can¬ 
not be denied however, that there are other departments 
of agriculture which are equally deserving attention. 
Greater advances have been made in the improvement of 
our breeds of animals, and in the construction of imple¬ 
ments and machines, than in the general management and 
cultivation of land; and it has doubtless been the best 
policy to bring out to our Fairs what we already possess, 
in order to increase their attractions, and encourage ge¬ 
neral interest among farmers in the support of agricultu¬ 
ral societies. At all events, I should be sorry to be even 
the last to find fault with what has been already done; 
but this will not prevent suggestions for future use. 
It must be obvious that the great and permanent utility 
of these societies, depends not only on perfecting what 
we already possess, but in directing attention and inquiry 
into new channels, and towards new objects, especially 
if those objects are of the highest practical importance. 
While therefore a proper number of premiums such as 
have been already offered, are continued, it is proposed 
to offer another class for the best experiments on cultiva¬ 
tion, independently of those for the largest crops. The 
following may be mentioned as instances: 
1. Experiments on manures —the relative value of sta¬ 
ble dung, muck, dead animal matter, night soil, lime, 
ashes, &c. when properly managed and applied; to be 
tested by their effects on different crops, and on various 
soils, as circumstances may permit. The best motle of 
applying ashes, leached and unleached; the quantity, 
time, mode of applying; the soils and crops most benefit¬ 
ed. The same with lime and marl. 
2. Experiments on the quantity of manure manufac¬ 
tured in comparison with the means—.the quality to be 
tested by experiment. Many parts of our country abound 
in vast beds of peat and marl, and only need to be manu¬ 
factured into manure to be worth millions. Premiums 
should be given to stimulate effort in this direction. 
3. The best series of experiments on different modes 
of cultivating corn —as in hills, drills, double drills, &c. 
and for fodder; and the comparative cost of each; quan¬ 
tity of seed, different varieties and distances; kinds of 
manure, modes of applying, &c. 
4. Wheat —experiments on different varieties—quanti¬ 
ty and quality of manure for various soils—effects of 
lime, charcoal—early and late cutting—time of sowing, 
quantity of seed, &c. 
Similar experiments might be instituted on potatoes, 
turneps, beets, carrots, barley, oats, peas, beans and oth¬ 
er crops. Every thing in relation to these experiments 
should be submitted to the test of accurate weighing and 
measurement; and where pi-acticable, analyses of the soils 
should be obtained. 
Experiments might also be directed to the different 
modes of feeding and fattening animals, the quantity and 
quality of food, times of feeding, and the effects of shel¬ 
ter on the flesh, and foot! consumed—to be tested by 
weekly weighing. One premium or class of premiums 
might be given on swine, one on sheep, one on horses, 
one on cattle, &c. 
Thousands of dollars have been paid out in premiums on 
improved breeds of animals, especially on Durham cattle 
and Berkshire swine; but not one that I am aware of,on ex¬ 
periments to test the superiority of those animals in feed¬ 
ing, fattening, and products, for the amount of food con¬ 
sumed. Conjecture is unsatisfactory to most, and hence 
they adhere to their old and inferior breeds. The amount 
of milk and butter yielded by Durham and other cows,from 
a given quantity of food, is especially needed, and it is 
hoped that liberal premiums may be given for this purpose. 
Convenient machines for weighing, and facilities for 
measuring, would of course be of the first importance. 
Such proof of the correctness of the reports of these 
experiments may be required, as is thought expedient. 
If agricultural societies should adopt this course, and 
offer premiums large enough to enlist intelligent cultiva¬ 
tors throughout the state, the reports for these premiums 
alone, would make a most interesting volume of transac¬ 
tions. J. J. Thomas. 
THE PERFECT BEE HIVE_(Fig. 37.) 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Before giving a de¬ 
scription of the above hive, (which I denominate the 
Perfect Hive,) I wish simply to say, that a hive to be 
useful, should be cheap and easy of construction, simple 
in its management, avoiding all complexity. The form 
of this hive is with right angles, similar to the old fash¬ 
ioned box hive, and divided into compartments, an upper 
and lower, of unequal dimensions. The lower is the 
hive proper, in which the bees rear their young, and 
where the winter store of honey, bee bread, &c. is de¬ 
posited. The upper receives a set of drawers for storing 
the surplus honey. 
The inquiry of bee cultivators has been, and is, how 
shall we protect bees from the night moth and worm. 
Care and attention will always be requisite, but I have 
full confidence that we may afford ample protection by 
using hives, in the construc on of which all seams, 
joints, or cracks, which offer a secure retreat to the moth 
arc dispensed with; for it is well known to every apia¬ 
rian who has attended to the subject, that the moth de¬ 
Booth’s Bee Hive. — (Fig. 37.) 
posits its eggs in those seams and those only which will 
give security to the young grubs. She never leaves them 
in such openings of the hive as are sufficiently large to 
admit the passage of the bees. But if bee keepers (with¬ 
out reflection,) will locate their swarms in any and every 
thing in the shape of a hive, (and none the better for be¬ 
ing patented,) they may expect a continuance of the evil. 
For the purpose of discharging from the hive all filth, 
dead bees, &c., the form of the bottom is a double plane, 
and under, not in. the hive; the body is elevated about 
one-third of an inch above it, by means of hinges of a 
new construction; the bees find free egress and ingress 
around the base of the hive; the air has a free circula¬ 
tion, preserving their health, and the moth finding no 
place congenial to her wishes, seeks other places than 
the hive in which to lay her eggs, and thus worms be¬ 
ing excluded, the swarm prospers. 
A serious objection to all hives which have come un¬ 
der my observation, has been want of ventilation in the 
chamber. Bees, as well as their owner, require pure 
air: and none need be told that air ascending into drawers 
from the interior of the hive, in consequence of its be¬ 
ing rarified, and there remaining impure for want of 
ventilation, is ill adapted to induce bees to work or even 
to remain in such drawers. I think this may be one great 
cause of bees failing to store honey to any considerable 
amount in the drawers of modern constructed hives. In 
the above hive, not only the body, but the drawers re¬ 
ceive free ventilation, and in storing honey the labor and 
travel of the bees is greatly lessened, by their being ad¬ 
mitted by the ventilators directly into the drawers. The 
hive has been in use in many apiaries in Massachusetts, 
the past season, with entire satisfaction. It thus far pro¬ 
mises to be a complete protection from the moth and 
worm. Edwin Booth. 
Springfield, Mass. March 29, 1843. 
FARMER’S CLUBS. 
Messrs, Gaylord & Tucker —There is no one thing 
of more importance to agricultural improvement than a 
concentration of facts, which are constantly developed 
by practical farmers, and thence a wide dissemination 
thereof. 
There is no farmer who cannot learn something from 
his neighbors, and who cannot in tu^ communicate va¬ 
luable information; yet men spend their lives near each 
other, and perhaps never converse upon the various sub¬ 
jects of their profession. Neighborhood or town meet¬ 
ings held by farmers at stated periods, wherein are dis¬ 
cussed the various subjects relating to farming, would be 
of the highest importance to every farmer, not only in 
the town, but throughout the country, inasmuch as their 
discussions would bring out the result of each man’s ex¬ 
perience, and thus a mass of facts would be collected for 
the benefit of the whole community. The substance of 
each man’s discourse should be published in some coun¬ 
ty paper or in some one of the agricultural papers, 
A Club has lately been formed in this town, the first I 
believe in the state. I send you our rules, and some of 
the proceedings of the first meeting, and I hope others 
will follow our example until there is not a town in the 
state which has not its Farmer’s Club. 
T. C. Peters. 
DARIEN FARMER’S CLUB.— Rules. 
This Club is formed for mutual improvement in Agri¬ 
culture, and is auxiliary to the Genesee County Agricul¬ 
tural Society. 
The officers of the Society shall consist of a President, 
Recording and Reporting Secretary. The Pi-esident may 
be elected at each meeting; the Secretaries as often as a 
vacancy occurs. 
It shall be the duty of the President to preside over the 
deliberations of the Club. It shall be the duty of the 
Recording Secretary, to keep a record of the proceed¬ 
ings of the Club in a book to be provided for that pur¬ 
pose, and to assist the Reporting Secretary in his duties. 
It shall be the duty of the Reporting Secretary to report 
the substance of the statements of members upon the sub¬ 
ject under discussion, and prepare them for publication. 
It shall be the duty of each member to confine his re¬ 
marks strictly to the subject under consideration, so that 
the reporters may not be confused; and, whenever called 
upon by the President, to write out the substance of his 
remarks, and deposit the paper with the Secretary. 
The subject of discussion shall be named at the last 
meeting for the next. 
The President may call upon any member to commence 
the discussion, and the last speaker may name the next, 
or in default, any person may volunteer, or the President 
call upon another member. 
Any person may become a member by signing the Club 
roll. — 
At a meeting of Farmers held in the School House in 
the village of Darien, March 11,1843, Mr. T. C. Peters 
in the chair, the foregoing rules were read and unani¬ 
mously adopted. 
The chairman then announced that the “ Cultivation of 
Potatoes,” was the subject which had been fixed upon 
for this evening’s discussion. 
Mr. E, Losee —Potatoes have not been a leading crop 
with me. I consider them profitable, especially when 
well manured. I have not been in the habit of manur¬ 
ing much. My soil is a gravely slaty loam. I have 
raised the best when planteit at the bottom of the furrow. 
Have grown them upon heavy soil. On such soils should 
advise shallow planting. Think I can raise as good upon 
light soil as upon heavy. 
Mr, J. W. Hyde —The plan I have followed for (he 
last three years, and prefer to all others for raising pota¬ 
toes, is to take a piece of sward which has not been fed, 
and when the grass is well up, say about the 1st of June; 
upon this I put my long manure in such quantity as to fill 
every fourth furrow. The fourth furrow is filled with 
the manure, and the potatoes dropped about eight inches 
apart; the furrow slice is then turned over. The after 
cultivation is merely to keep the ground clean, and thinks 
that the ci’op is best without plow or cultivator, providetl 
the grass and weeits are kept down. Prefers large po¬ 
tatoes for seed; plants eyes on account of economy of 
seed. Harvests with plow and harrow. Usual crop 
about 400 bushels per acre. Soil, gravely slaty loam; 
subsoil same; is a dry land. Prefers the Irish grey to 
any other kind. Has never applied leached ashes, but 
has no doubt as to the advantage, as he noticed one year 
where a quantity of chip dung, into which the leaches 
of the house had been thrown, and which had been spread 
upon the potatoe ground, the potatoes were larger and 
fairer than on either side. Is satisfied that one cause of 
small potatoes, is too much seed in the hill. His father, 
a few years since, in planting a piece, cut off the seed 
end, threw it to the hogs; the crop was very uniform in 
size, and a good yield. 
Mr. D. Carter —Prefers sward plowed in the fall. In 
the spring he gets out his long manure, plows it in, anil 
harrows. Deep plowing essential, furrow s cut very shal¬ 
low, plants in hills three feet apart each way, about 1st 
June for late; as early as possible for table. Plows and 
hoes; generally plows each way; makes rather a broad 
flat hill. Crop varies from 400 to 500 bushels per acre. 
For stock, prefers the Irish grey; for the the table, the 
Mashonic. Has a very valuable spring or summer pota¬ 
toe. Has raised the Merinos, but thinks from his expe¬ 
rience in feeding hogs, that one bushel of Irish greys are 
worth at least one and a half of Merinos. Has tried 
leached ashes some, and considers them very beneficial. 
Selects the largest for seed. 
After some further discussion, it was resolved that the 
same subject be continued at the next meeting, and the 
Club adjourned to the 18th inst. 
LEAF HAY—CORN AND CLOVER—COAL. 
Editors oe the Cultivator— In answer to your in¬ 
quiry as to the result of my use of leaf hay as fodder, I 
would state, that in the latter part of the winter of 1841-2, 
I fed the leaf hay mentioned, to both cows and horses, 
and the result was not as flattering as I anticipated; for 
the horses partook of them sparingly, and the cows more 
so. The leaves were of the different kinds of oak, which 
are not relished by brutes when green. If they had been of 
hickory or chestnut, I doubt not (hey would have been eat¬ 
en freely. In a heavy forest, with a light rake, leaves can 
be collected expeditiously; but perhaps not more than 
one fall in three is suitable for securing leaves in hay 
condition. The four tons of leaves mentioned, made me 
a nice quantity of manure; perhaps in value equal to 
twice this quantity of ordinary leaves. 
If I dare advise P. F. Wislar, Esq. I would say that he 
should ab.andon his intention of sowing corn and clover 
together, for undoubtedly the corn will smother the clo¬ 
ver. Or if he shall sow the corn so thin as to obviate 
this objection, then the weeds will destroy the clover. 
Please accept my thanks, gentlemen, for your admo¬ 
nition touching my last communication; nevertheless, I 
must insist that where one object in the use of coal is to 
create porosity, it should not he made fine. 
Instead of burning only 1,500 bushels of coal, I have, 
during the winter, burnt at least 4,000, which, together 
with the burnt covering of earth, ashes and soot, make 
about 9,000 bushels of manure, which I have principally 
used in the compound on clay grounds, at the rate of 
about 600 bushels the acre. 1 have thought it most ad¬ 
visable to spread the most of my coal of this year, di¬ 
rectly on the land, that I may see its direct effect. I shall 
try it on corn, wheat, cabbage, meadow and grazing 
lands, and report the result. If the result should justify 
the outlay, I intend next winter to burn about 20,000 
bushels—that is of coal, earth and all, which will suffice 
for 35 or 40 acres. As to the time, I never miss it, and 
the wood is a cumbrance. It seems that coal is (he stuff" 
for clay, and ashes for sandy grounds. Now, although I 
have the clay and sand and wood for both coal and ashes, 
yet being a tobacco grower, I cannot work very well at 
those matters. I keep one ox cart about five months in 
the year, moving manure, yet shall not be able to get out 
all my manure this year. About 3 months of this time 
is winter, when only about one-third work can be done. 
But I see I am flying off" the helve: so close, by sta¬ 
ting that about 10 o’clock this morning, it began to snow 
from eastward; about 12, the snow came from the west, 
and it is now, at 6 o’clock, cold and snowing and blow¬ 
ing rapidly, and likely to be the deepest fall we have 
had this winter. Za. Drummond. 
Amherst co, Va., March 16, 1843. 
