112 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
ODviginal |Ja|3er3 front Contributoro. 
LETTER FROM OHIO. 
Messrs Gaylord &. Tucker —In a late tour through 
the county of Licking, in this state, I noteil the follow¬ 
ing observations, which ntay, perhaps, be worth perusal: 
Cornstalk Sugar. —In the Yankee settlement of 
Granville, I found that several experiments were made 
in the manufacture of this article last year, with various 
success. I was shown a sample of sugar made by Mr. 
Aylesworth, which was well grained and well flavored, 
and only needed a better draining to make it an excel¬ 
lent article. Home little difflcuity was experienced in 
getting the syrup to crys:arize,owing, as is now believed, 
to the s'alks having become too old before they were 
cut. Mr. Fassett, who was one of those engaged in the 
experiments, thinks the proper time for cutting is when 
the blossoms have all fallen from the tassels, or when 
the top of the tassel is beginning to die. The saccharine 
of the stalk is supposed to be then most abundant and in 
the best state. No difficulty was experienced in making 
first rate molasses, ami samples were shown me equal, 
if not superior, to any cane molasses I ever saw. It 
would be an object to make cornsialk molasses, even if 
no sugar were mule—it is such a nice article, and can be 
made so very easily. But the expermients of last year 
have siifficle tly demonsSrafed the practicability of ma¬ 
king sugar, and no doubt is entertained that practice and 
observation will furnish ail the additional knowledge 
which is requisite for the perfection of the manufacture. 
The yield is veiy satisfactory. I understood Mr. Fas¬ 
sett to say, that in their most successful experiments it 
was equal to 700 pounds per acre, and he thinks that even 
800 or 900 pounds may be obtained. 
Live Stock. —Granville has been noted for good 
swine for a long time. Gen. A. Munson has an import- 
e.l Berkshire boar, one of the best hogs I ever saw, that 
has done an incalculable gooil in this region. Mr. Fas¬ 
sett has excellent hogs. He is a veteran breeder and 
feeder, and it is said has not had an ordinary pig for 20 
years. He has a large well shaped old sow, that he calls 
Bedford and Berkshire, that breeds the greatest pigs by 
Gen. Munson s boar, to be found in “ all these diggins.” 
In 1840, Mr. Fassett killed four of her pigs at the age of 
10 months and 6 days, whose average dressed weight 
was'334 pounds—the largest weighing 350 pounds! In 
1841, he killed but one or two of her pigs, they being 
mostly sold for breeders; but one was killed at 9 months 
old, that weighed upwards of 300 pounsls. Last year, 
(1842,) he killed five of her pigs at 8 months and 15 days 
old, whose average dressed weight was 2954 pounds— 
the largest weighing 320 pounds! Now here is proof 
by the steelyards. Mr. F. is a matter of fact man, and 
does not come to his conclusions by guessing. I do not 
remember having ever known so many pigs from one 
sow, giving such remarkable weights. 
Mr. Brice, near Newark, has a Durham bull, Hampton-, 
purchased of Mr. Van Rensselaer of your city, in 1841. 
He is a prime bull, and his progeny show that he will be 
a great improvement to the cattle of this vicinity. Mr. 
Brice has also a young Durham cow, (Mary,) which he 
bought of Messrs. Corning & Sotham, in 1841. She has 
likewise become a splendid animal, and though she has 
not had a calf since Mr. B. bought her, it is hoped she is 
now in a vvay to have one. Mr. B. has a Coiswold buck 
that he bought of Messrs. Corning & Sotham. I think 
he is the same whose likeness was once given in the 
Cultivator, and which a correspondent of the Farmer's 
Cabinet attempted to “poke fun'’ at, for having, as he 
said, in the likeness represented a “natural piazza be¬ 
hind.” But whatever may have been the beauties or 
blemishes of the likeness, or the opinions of captious cri¬ 
tics concerning it, the sheep is a noble one, and sheared 
12^ pounds washed wool last year! Mr. B. has been un¬ 
fortunate with the South Downs which he had of Mr. 
Prentice. He has lost all his ewes from one accident 
and another, and has only the buck left. He is a very 
snug, good bodied animal, with excellent wool. 
Gen. Thomas W. Wilson, near Newark, has two cows 
and a bull of the stock of Mr. Thomas Bates of Kirk- 
leavington, England, The old cow, mother of the oth¬ 
er was presented by Mr. Bates, to the lady of Bishop 
Mcllvaine of Kenyon college, in this state. It is good 
stock. They are light boned, thrifty, and good hand¬ 
lers. The young cow looks like a very good milker. 
The two cows have fine heifer calves, by Mr. Brice’s 
bull. 
Silk.— Hon. Elias Howell has a large cocoonery, and 
has done considerable in the silk line. He said they did 
not do much last year, but sold about $100 dollars worth 
of cocoons. He is intending to tio much more thisyear. 
He can feed from five hundred to seven hundred thou¬ 
sand at a time. Mrs. Howell, under whose superinten¬ 
dence the cocoonery is managed, prefers the sulphur va¬ 
riety of worms, as being more healthy and requiring less 
care. 
The silk business will undoubtedly become important 
in this part of the country. Some establishments which 
have been erected for the manufacture of silk, have done 
well. Mr. Gill of Mt. Pleasant, sold upwards of $9,000 
worth of silk goods of his own manufacture, last year. 
He is enlarging his operations, and intends to increase 
Jiis business considerably this season. His fabrics are 
frgot^—some of them pronounced by competent judges 
equal to any imported—and are afforded at as low prices, 
according to the weight. 
The kind of mulberry generally used, is the Multicau- 
lis—there are some Italian. Of these, my bitter half,who 
has fed silk worms for several years, prefers the Italian. 
It is much hard'er, puts out much earlier in the spring, 
produces more wholesome foliage, and from the abun- 
tlance of lateral roots which can be obtained by heading 
down, it is more convenient tor feeding. The Multicau- 
lis is good for late feeding, but unless it is taken up in 
the fall, it will almost always die down to the ground in 
winter, and frequently die entirely. I should like to 
know if there is not some kind that will do better. How 
do the large leaf Canton and the Alpine, continue to do 
at the North? It is sometime since I have seen them, 
but my impression is, from what I have seen, that they 
would be valuable here. I wish some of your corres¬ 
pondents would let us know how these kinds succeed as 
to hardiness, quality and quantity of foliage, &c., and 
where they can be had. 
Pigeon Roosts. —One of these curiosities is now to be 
seen in the vicinity of Granville. It covers (as I was 
informed,) an extent of some square miles, and is occu¬ 
pied by millions of p’geons. They congregate in such 
immense masses as to spoil the heaviest timber, breaking 
down the largest limbs. They feed on the beech nuts, 
and are very fat. Some people go to the roost and kill 
them for mere wanton sport. They stick one end of a 
long limber pole in the ground, and as the jiigeons come 
into the roost, they swing it swiftly backwards and for¬ 
wards, cutting down hundreds. They fly to the roosts 
in the latter part of the day in clouds, darkening the air, 
and stunning the ears with the sound of their wings. At 
such limes, the slaughtering of numbers has no eflect on 
the others; the hindmost rush on the others like Buffa¬ 
loes running over a precipice. The nests .are ruiiely 
made of a few sticks; sometimes there are twenty on a 
tree, and the trees as thick as they can stand. The squabs 
are said to be heavier about the time they are able to fly 
than (hey ever are afterwards, and are then considered 
most delicate eating. The inhabitants con'emplate ma. 
king a general feast of them about the time they come 
out of their nests. Where such myriads of them con¬ 
gregate, the ground receives a coating of manure which 
makes it very rich. Yours, &c. 
Zanesville, 0., May 28, 1843. S. Howard. 
FILTERING CISTERNS. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker—A bout 2 years since, 
I was induced for various reasons to consiruct a cistern 
for filtering rain water, that it might be used for drink¬ 
ing and other household purposes. I had never seen 
one, and at the moment was unable to get any requisite 
information as to the proper mode of consiriiction, and 
was thus forced to rely upon piy own Ligenuiiy. A trial 
for two years has convinced me that I was correct in 
my nvvlioris, and I would not now exchange my cistern 
for the most wells I know of, even for drinKing. I sub 
mit my plan, hoping that it may be beneficial to some 
one at least of your numerous readers. 
Filtering Cistern. — (Fig. 51.) 
A. Gravel. D. Charcoal. 
B. Coarse sand. E. Coarse sand. 
C. Fine Sand. G. Leader and strainer 
F. Lead pipe leading to pump. 
The cistern is built of brick, (8 inch walls,) holding 
) hhds.; it is of an oval shape, and about 7 feet deep, 
cross the center I built a partition wall, also of brick, 
inches thick, leaving 8 apertures at the bottom, each 
t by 3 inches; over which holes I put a zinc plate per¬ 
orated with holes, acting as strainers. On the south 
de of this partition wall, I put in my filtering material 
i follows1st, a layer of strata or coarse gravel, say 
om the size of peas to that of hazelnuts, about 6 inches 
lick; then a strata of clean gravel or very coarse sand, 
Dout 4 inches thick; then a strata of fine beach sand 
inches (hick; then a strata of charcoal 3 inches thick, 
id covered it w'ith another strata of gravel or coarse 
ind. The water from the roof passes into the north 
de, and finding its way through the apertures, forces 
pwards through these different materials to find its own 
ivel, and from this south part I take it by means of a 
sad pipe and pump. I should add that before the water 
[iters the cistern at all, it passes through a copper box 
hove ground, where it is strained through a wire sieve, 
id thus bugs and all insects of any size, are prevented 
■om getting inlo the cistern altogether. 
Newburuh, May 18, 1843. T. M. Niven. 
CORNSTALK CUTTERS. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker—I n some agricultural 
publication of the last year, I saw a description of a corn 
stalk cutter; there is another of dilferent form in the last 
No., of the Cultivator, p. 35; permit me to describe ano¬ 
ther, which I think preferable, because cheaper, and in 
possession of evei'y farmer. Take an ohi worn out 
scythe, cut it in two about four inches nearer the heel 
than point, then make the heel into a shank, upon which 
every boy can put a wooileri handle. Take the other 
part of the scythe, and with a cold chisel separate the 
tliin part from the back for about four inches, and cut 
it off, then get that part of the back from which you have 
taken the edge, hammered into a shank; and when han¬ 
dled, you have two of the most convenient and efficient 
corn cutters ever used. 
I have often wondered why this simple instrument has 
not been described in some agricultural [lapcr, (perhaps 
it has, though I have not seen it;) and I have sometimes 
thought that it was too simple an affair for a formal no¬ 
tice in a paper, and if you think so, act accordingly, but 
if you think it wurihy of an insertion in the Cultivator, 
it is at your service anil may benefit some one. 
Yours respectfully, 
L. A. Moody. 
Willoughby, Lake co., O., May 20, 1842. 
IMPROVED PICKET FENCE. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I am constructing a 
picket fence this year, on a somewhat iievv plan; and as 
1 have never seen or heard of any just like it, I will for¬ 
ward you a brief description of it. It tiifl'ers from fhe 
common fence onl}^ in the position of the rails, which 
are sawed three inches square suid sixteen feet in length, 
supported by their jiosts, and ihe lower rail halved into 
the post, and the upper one halved on the lop, so (hat 
the pickets, instead of being nailed on the flat side of the 
rail, are nailed on to the quadrilateral corner, and of 
course one corner of tlie rail points liirectly towards (he 
zenith, and the opposite corner towards lite nadir, 'ihe 
pests should be cased, in order to preserve the ends of 
the rails from decaying. 
Fence constructed in this way', is more durable than 
that built in any o'her way; ami the reasons for the fact 
are obvious. And first, when piekefs are naileil on the 
fiat side of the rail, the conjunction is not sufficiently 
close to seclude the rain; but on the contrary, acts as a 
reservoir, by which means the picket and rad are kept 
wet, and of course decay will soon ensue; whereas when 
nailed on the corner, there is but a mere point of surface, 
between the picket and rail, which will quickly drjr out. 
Secondly, the surface of coiijuction is so small, ihat paint, 
when applied, covers so much of O'o ouiface, that the 
oil will snre“it rrom eacii aide and unite in Ihe pores of 
tlie wood, and thus render it impermeable to water, if 
the paint does not cover the entile surface; and (hus the 
picket is kept sound in every part, 'rhirdly, wa'er im¬ 
mediately runs from the rails, and tlie pow erlul heat of 
the sun, by which they are checked, loses a vast deal 
of its influence by reflection; whereas when his beams 
pour almost perpendicularly on the flat surface, but few 
are reflecied, and furthermore the whole surface of the 
rail can be covered wi h paint. 
The nails should be driven just below the quadrilate¬ 
ral corner, through the picket, so that tliry will not be 
so much exposed to the aciion of the aqueous vapor of 
the atmosphere and the rain. After the pickets are railed 
on, a ribbon one inch and a lialf square is nailed wiih 
double tenpenny nails, on the opposite side of the pick¬ 
ets, from the rails, into the rails. 
The same position of the ribbon must be observed as 
of the rails. This not only adds to the beauty of Ihe 
fence, but it holds each picket more firmly in its place, 
and prevents them from being knocked off'by every lit¬ 
tle rap. 
I will also give you a description of a post for board 
fence, which makes the most substantial, and I think, ihe 
cheapest fence, when we are at the exjiense of getting 
the posts sawed at the saw mill. 'The pos's for such 
board fence, should be sawed four inches square, in the 
center of which there should be a place sawed one inch 
in thickness, to be taken out with an auger and chisel as 
far down as the surface of the ground. If it is desirable 
to have the ends of the boards pass each other, a piece 
of two inches in thickness should be taken out. 
After the posts are set. the bottom boards are put in 
their place, and pinned firmly by boring an inch hole 
through the post and boards, and driving in a white oak 
pin. 'The upper boards are treated in ihe same manner. 
Such fence is far preferable in low' ground, where the 
posts are thrown up by the frost, to fence made by dri¬ 
ving the posts and the boards: because, in the first 
place, a post which is set in the ground, will remain 
more firmly, a longer period of time, in its proper posi¬ 
tion_is not as liable to be heaved out by the action of 
the frost, as one which is sharpened and drove; and se¬ 
condly, some part of the fence is raised farlher than the 
other: consequently, the nails break and the boards fall 
to the ground; whereas when they are pinned at each 
end, if one post is lifted a little higher than _ the other, 
the boards turn on the pins, and still remain firm. 
Posts driven in drj' ground, may stand as well as if 
they were set; but in all cases, I prefer fhe latter mode. 
When posts are split for fence, I hew them after set- 
tino-; and on the opposite side of the board, from the 
post,’ set a ribbon one inch and a half thick, through 
which the pins are driven into the post. 'Phis is nearly 
as good as the whole post, but does not make so solid a 
fence. E. Todd. 
Lansing, Tompkins co., N. Y., May 25, 1843. 
