170 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
TRANSACTIONS OF THE FIRST NEW-YORK 
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
We have lately re-examined thevolumespublishedby 
this Society, and have been surprised at the mass of valu¬ 
able facts the distinguished men engaged in its support, 
were at that period able to accumulate and publish. No 
farmer can take up these volumes without at on^e per¬ 
ceiving the vast debt we owe to the Livingstons, De 
Witts, L’Hommedieus, Clintons, Mitchells, &c.&e.,who 
formed the first association for the promotion of agricul¬ 
ture in this state, and in the expenditure of labor and 
money did so much to elevate the art to its proper place. 
As proposed in a late number of the Cultivator, we shall 
give brief notices of some of the most important papers 
to be found in the series. 
In the'ftrst vol. page 71, is to be found a paper on the 
Hessian fly, and much as has been written on the subject 
since, very little addition has been made to the mass of 
information contained in this paper. It is from the pen 
of J. N. Havens, Esq. Mr. Havens’ statements agree 
with our experience and observations, viz: that the fly 
Undergoes in most cases two transformations, or becomes 
a perfect insect twice a year, depositing its eggs both 
fall and spring. The egg laid in the fall sown wheat is 
hatched, and the insect remains in the chrysalis state 
through the winter. In the spring it emerges a perfect 
insect, and from the eggs then deposited, are produced 
the insects which are ready to attack and destroy the fall 
wheat. Burning the stubble, or plowing it under care¬ 
fully and deeply, is recommended by Mr. H. Burning 
we have not tried, but deep plowing the stubble imme¬ 
diately after harvest, we know to have a good effect. 
It is to the experiments of Chancellor Livingston upon 
Gypsum, their varied nature, and the uniform success that 
attended them when made in connection with clover, 
that we are mainly indebted for the revolution and im¬ 
provement in agriculture consequent on the clover and 
plaster husbandry. The paper in which he records his 
experiments, commencing in 1789, is one of the most in¬ 
teresting in the volume. The inferences to which the 
Chancellor was led, viz: that plaster produces the best 
effect when used in connection with clover—that it is 
comparatively useless on wet moist soils—that its action 
is very little aided by the natural fertility of the soil— 
that on dry soils it is of great value to Indian corn—and 
that in most cases it produces no effect near the sea, are 
such as experience has confirmed. From some of his 
experiments he was led to infer that 8 bushels of pulver¬ 
ized limestone was equal in effect to 6 bushels of gypsum, 
but on clover, we are confident the disproportion would 
be found far greater than this. 
The paper of Mr. L’Hommedieu, on the Preparation 
of Manures, contains many hints that-could scai’cely fail 
of improving the practice of our best farmers. His re¬ 
marks on composts made of turf and barnyard manures, 
swamp mud, leached ashes, &c., are so much in advance 
of the age in which they were written, that they seem 
rather to have been penned by a contemporary of Liebig 
and Dana. 
At the time this volume was prepared, the growing 
and preparation of Clover Seed for market, was much less 
common than it now is, and Suffolk, on Long Island, pro¬ 
duced and sold more than all the rest of the state. Mr. 
L’H. gives a paper on gathering and threshing it, from 
which it appears in the modern mode of threshing and 
cleaning by water or horse power, a vast saving of labor 
has been effected. Mr. L’H. says the greatest quantity 
he has known grown on an acre, was four bushels and 
sixteen quarts. Such a product as this, any where, would 
be considered enormous. 
In this volume is an account of a crop of Indian Corn, 
raised at Hoboken, by Mr. J. Stevens, amounting to 118 
bushels, 2 quarts per acre. This crop and another were 
raised on a wager,were measured accurately,and the result 
excited much attention, it being one of the first of those 
large crops of that grain that have now become so com¬ 
mon. Mr. Stevens planted his corn in double rows, 5| 
feet apart in this manner; 
The sides of these triangles being 7 inches. The corn 
was dibbled 34 inches deep, one kernel in a hole, which 
was then filled with rotten dung. 
One of the earliest as well as ablest memoirs on the 
Salt Springs of the state, is to be found in this volume, 
from the pen of Dr. B. DeWitt. To us who have so long 
been conversant with that section of country, his descrip¬ 
tion comes with the freshness of our early impressions, 
and we almost forget that more than 40 years have pass¬ 
ed since we first heard of Salt Point, or the paper before 
us was written. One of the most remarkable changes in 
the vicinity of the Onondaga Salines, which has taken 
place since Dr. DeWitt examined the district, is in the 
health of the region. The town of Salina now contains 
a population, of some 12,000; and the number of deaths 
annually, does not greatly exceed that which existed at 
the time Dr. D. wrote. The cultivation of the country, 
the lowering of the lake, and the draining of the swamps 
and marshes, have conferred a degree of salubrity rarely 
equaled. One cannot avoid recognizing the advantages 
of the late geological survey and explorations of the 
state, when they contrast the knowledge acquired, with 
the crude speculations as to the source of our brines so 
current at that time. The quantity of salt made annually, 
(1797,) is estimated at 60,000 bushels. The product of 
this year, 1843, will not vary far from four millions of 
bushels. 
Simeon DeWitt has given his method of Preserving 
Butter, so as to avoid the rancidity so common and so 
disagreeeable. A cask of sufficient size is provided, into 
which brine made from good salt, as strong as pos¬ 
sible, a little saltpetre added, and then boiled and skim¬ 
med to insure purity, is poured, after the vessel has been 
previously soaked and washed in another brine. The 
butter is then made into suitable rolls, as it comes from 
the dairy or is purchased in the market, and put into the 
brine. To keep this butter perfectly under the brine, 
and on this the sweetness is mainly depending, a circu¬ 
lar board of nearly the size of the cask is provided, in 
the center of which a round stick is secured, the upper 
end of which rises above the cask. Two wire staples 
are driven into the top of the cask, and a cord passing 
from one through or over the top of the stick, and se¬ 
cured to the other effectually, keeps the butter below the 
surface of the brine. 
We think this a good method of keeping butter sweet, 
but the best method we have yet seen tried, is to pack 
the butter while perfectly sweet, in firkins, headed up 
close, and then throw them into a vat supplied w'ith 
spring water of a low temperature, or else into a well of 
the same kind. Exclusion of air and a low temperature, 
are thus both secured, and these points gained, butter 
well worked and sweet, may be kept so for an indefinite 
period of time. 
Nearly 100 pages of the 2d volume are occupied by a 
series of papers on Sheep, by Mr. Livingston. Mr. L. 
was among the first introducers of the Merino into this 
country, and we here find one of the earliest descriptions 
of this sheep, quality of wool, and its probable effect on 
the improvement of our native sheep by crosses. What 
was theory in Chancellor L., has become fact in practice, 
and though his labors were decried and underrated by 
many, the result has been felt in every part of the U. 
States. The agriculturists will not be apt to forget the 
man who was mainly instrumental in bringing gypsum 
into use, and introducing the Merino into the country, 
and this distinguished honor can fairly be claimed for 
Mr. Livingston. 
There is a valuable paper on the cultivation of Hemp, 
from the pen of James Geddes, Esq. of Onondaga co., 
but the expectations which were at one time entertained 
of the extensive culture of this plant in western New- 
York, have never been realized. It was found that other 
Cl’Ops more easily grown, would be more profitable, and 
that the opening of the Erie canal, by bringing this dis¬ 
trict so much nearer a market for such products, soon 
caused a total suspension of the hemp culture, where it 
had been attempted. 
Soaking Seed Wheat in brine, and then drying it in lime, 
to prevent smut, was first brought before the fai’mers of 
New-York in these volumes, and wherever adopted pro¬ 
duced the happiest results. The public spirited farmers 
on the east of the Cayuga lake, early availed themselves 
of this preventive, and with such success, that large quan¬ 
tities of Cayuga wheat found its way to other places for 
seed; and it was for years, and perhaps still is, believed 
by many, that the practice of brining and liming origi¬ 
nated in the district named. Strange as it may seem, 
W'ith all the certainty of exemption from smut this treat¬ 
ment of wheat offers, there are very few farms where 
the practice of liming is so carried out as to effectually 
exclude smut from the fields. Greater attention to this 
point would be for the benefit of all parties concerned. 
One of the most destructive insects to the grain grower 
in the southern and middle states, and occasionally far¬ 
ther north, is the true Weevil, which attacks the wheat 
in the sheaf or the bin. Mr. L’Hommedieu states that 
this insect may be driven from granaries, mills, &c., by 
sprinkling over the wheat fine unslacked lime, five or 
six handfuls to every five bushels, as it is shoveled into 
the bins. When wanted for use, the fanning mill will 
blow off the lime, as well as the dust made by the weevil 
from the wheat. Wheat we understand is now success¬ 
fully preserved in the south, by heating a hogshead turn¬ 
ed bottom upwards over a coal fire, as hot as it can be 
made, and w'hile hot, filling it with wheat and heading 
it carefully up. This destroys what weevils there may 
be in the grain, and effectually excludes others from en¬ 
tering. 
The papers of the 3d volume are on the whole of a 
less practical cast than those of the former volumes, 
though on subjects of interest to all farmers it contains 
some articles of great value. Among these is a paper on 
the qualities and manufacture of Flour, from the pen of 
that experienced dealer, J. Humbert, of New-York. 
Many of the complaints he states as existing against 
N. York flour, are now' done away, the flour of western 
New-Yoi'k being unrivaled in all the qualities that con¬ 
stitute a first rate article; but there is a vast deal of wheat 
ground for families and for market, where the product 
is seriously damaged, and the life of the flour killed by 
bad grinding. If in grinding wheat or corn, the stones 
get heated to such a degree as to raise the temperature 
of the flour to any considerable extent, the flour is surely 
hurt. It may be cooled immediately, and farther da¬ 
mage checked, but the mischief done is not remedied. 
Too fine or close grinding is also injurious to the quality 
of flour, and this is particularly the case w'here millers 
pass the shorts or a large part of the product a second 
time through the stones. The effect of close grinding 
will be seen more readily on corn than wheat, in spoil¬ 
ing, or rendering such corn meal unfit for bread. The 
best corn cakes or bread, is always made from meal 
ground only moderately fine. Too close grinding de¬ 
stroys its value for cooking in the estimation of all who 
are best acquainted with this grain. We are glad that 
public attention has been called to this subject, as the 
proper grinding of wheat and corn, is a question of vast 
importance to the community. 
There are papers from E. C. Genet, on several sub¬ 
jects, in one of which he describes the benefit he de¬ 
rived from feeding some valuable, but diseased and weak 
Merino Sheep with milk. Their restoration was complete, 
and what was singular, while the rest of his flock suf¬ 
fered severely from the scab, the milk fed sheep were 
perfectly exempt. In Switzerland, and some parts of 
France, the best vinegar is made from the whey of milk, 
by a very simple process. The whey, carefully clari¬ 
fied, is poured into casks, with aromatic herbs and elder 
blossoms, to give flavor and color as desired, and ex¬ 
posed in open air to the sun, where it soon acquires an 
uncommon degree of acidity. We think that in the new¬ 
ly settled parts of our western states, where eider for 
vinegar is not to be had, this method of providing an ar¬ 
ticle so essential to the health and comfort of a family, 
might be found useful. 
The opinions and the facts advanced by Prof. Brownell, 
on the unfitness of Great Britain for the growth of Fine 
Wool, have been fully established by long experience, 
and by the universal failure of every attempt that has 
been made to produce pure Merino or Saxon wool in that 
kingdom. Experience, too, has demonstrated that in no 
part of the world can better or finer wool be grown than 
in the U. States; and every year is adding proofs to our 
vast resources in that respect, particularly in the adapta¬ 
tion of the western states to its production. 
The 4th volume is divided into two parts, and both 
are filled with papers of great practical value to the 
farmer. One of these is a description of the manner of 
cultivating the Peach at the south, by James Geddes. He 
thus notices the method there adopted to avoid the attacks 
of the peach borer, and which would doubtless be as ef¬ 
fective here as there. “ To prevent these insects from 
operating on the softened bark near the surface, a hill of 
earth about a foot high, is raised arounil each free about 
the first of June, and taken away about the first of Sep¬ 
tember. The insects either find the bark too hard and 
dry to pierce, or the taking away the earth leaves the 
eggs uncovered and they perish; the fact is, that after 
ten years trial, Mr. Bayly has found his trees thus com¬ 
pletely preserved against the worms.” 
Mr. Durkee mentions that he has twice killed patches 
of the Canada Thistle, by covering them with straw to 
the depth of four or five inches. This was done in the 
spring when they were about six inches high, and care 
was taken that the straw was not disturbed. Wc have 
often destroyed small patches of them in this way, using 
wheat, pea, or other straw for smothering them, but we 
have always used it more liberally than is recommended 
by Mr. Durkee. Where the thistle has but just taken 
root, perhaps this is as good a method of exterminating 
them as can be tried; but repeated cuttings, so long as 
they continued to vegetate, has been the'most certain 
remedy with us. 
Inquiries are frequently made as to the best method of 
germinating the seeds or haws of the Thorn', the follow¬ 
ing, condensed from a paper by Mr. Tibbits, will we 
think be satisfactory. Collect the thorn berries when 
ripe, and lay them in a pile mixed with a small quantity 
of rich warm loam, in a place in the garden somewhat 
shaded by a fence or tree. In the next summer, turn the 
mass with a shovel, that the whole may be equally ex¬ 
posed to air and frost. In the second spring, when they 
have been exposed to the frosts of two winters, and the 
air of one summer, and as early as a bed can be made for 
their reception, spread the seeds with the mixed loam 
over a bed of rich, warm, clean earth, when the good 
seeds will soon sprout and grow. Some of the plants 
will grow two feet, and may be set in hedges the next 
spring, while the smaller ones may stand till the next 
year before they are transplanted. 
The following directions for Preserving Fruit, given in 
this volume, are from the pen of Mr. Knight, the cele¬ 
brated British horticulturist: “ The mostsuccesssul me¬ 
thod of preserving pears and apples, which I have hith¬ 
erto tried, has been placing them in glazed earthen pots, 
each containing about a gallon, and surrounding each 
fruit with paper; but it is probable the chaff of oats, if 
free from moisture or any offensive smell, might be used 
with advantage instead of paper, and at less expense or 
trouble. These vessels being perfect cylinders, about a 
foot each in height, stand very conveniently on each oth¬ 
er, and thus present the means of preserving much fruit 
in a small room; and if the spaces between the top of 
one vessel and the base of another, be filled with a ce¬ 
ment composed of two parts of the curd of skimmed milk, 
and one of lime, by which the air will be excluded, the 
later kinds of apples and pears will be preserved with 
little change in their appearance, from October till March- 
Dry cool situations, are the best for the preservation of 
fruit.” 
We have thus made a hasty sketch of some of the pa¬ 
pers in these volumes that record the labors of the first 
State Ag. Society of New-York. The effect of these la¬ 
bors we feel at the present day, in the impulse they gave 
to agriculture, and the spirit of inquiry and investigation 
they produced. The leading spirits of this association 
were men of powerful minds, far-reaching in their views, 
and in their practive evidently in advance of their age. 
It is gratifying to trace in these volumes the germ of 
some of the great improvements of the times; to behold 
suggestions and inquires expanding into practice and 
facts; to see where we in our husbandry have improved 
on the old, or introduced new methods in culture; and 
in particular to observe the vast advance there has been 
made, since these volumes were published, in most of 
our agricultural implements. 
