THE CULTIVATOR. 
187 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
It is not often that we step aside, in this department 
of the Cultivator, to notice works not more or less de¬ 
voted to agriculture; but in the present instance, we feel 
justified in calling the attention of our readers to a work 
of the first importance to the great caixse of general ed¬ 
ucation. 
We have before us the 9th edition of the '' Introduc¬ 
tion to the Science of Government, and Compend of the 
Constitutional and Civil Jurisprudence of the United 
States, with a brief Treatise on Political Economy; by 
Andeew C. Young;” adapted to the use of schools and 
families, and printed and published by William Ailing, 
bookseller, Rochester. 
This neat volume of 350 pages we have examined at¬ 
tentively, and can give it our most hearty approval. 
There are few subjects of more importance than the one 
of which it treats. In a country where eveiy individual 
has a voice in the government, it is surely the duty of 
all to understand the obligations and the responsibilities 
resting on him. The “ Science of Government ” has 
been prepared with express reference to this object, and 
is most admirably adapted to give the knowledge so 
much required. The style is clear, plain and familiar, 
and the sub jects are treated in such a manner as to be 
easily comprehended by all. All the most important 
and leading features of our national and state constitu¬ 
tions; the laws, powers and duties of the governing and 
the governed, are clearly presented; and to the young 
man offers a mass of information to him invaluable. 
The want of such a book, as a text and reading book in 
our common schools, has long been known, and the vo¬ 
lume before us wi^l, we are confident, be considered as 
a most timely supply of a want generally felt by all ac¬ 
quainted with our schools. It has already, we are grati¬ 
fied to learn, been extensively introduced into our higher 
schools and academies, and not a season should pass 
without at least one class in every school in our broad 
land being provided with the ‘‘ Science of Government” 
as a school book. So serious has been the defect in our 
school books in this particular, that we cannot too ear¬ 
nestly recommend to parents and teachers the adoption 
of a work that promises so much for the young of our 
land. 
DANA’S PRIZE ESSAY ON MANURES. 
In our last we noticed the receipt of a copy of this Es¬ 
say, and have since had an opportunity of examining it 
carefully. We can only saj^ it is a worthy companion of 
the Muck Manual reviewed by us last year, and deserv¬ 
ing the distinction conferred upon it by the State Ag. 
Soc. of Massachusetts. It forms a neat octavo pamphlet 
of 40 pages, and cannot fail of being extensively useful. 
The introductory paragraph exhibits at once his manner 
and the object of the Essay: 
“ There is one thing settled in farming, stable manure 
never fails. It always tells. There are no two ways 
about it. There is here neither theory, nor speculation, 
nor doubt, nor misgiving. ‘ Muck it well, master, and 
it will come right,’ is an old proverb. It is considered 
a fact so well established, that nobody thinks of dispu¬ 
ting it. There is an advantage in asking why barnyard 
manure never fails. The answer is easy. It contains all 
that plants need for their growth. If we know then what 
plants contain, we can easily tell what is in manure. 
The whole doctrine of manures then falls into two plain 
principles, on which hang all the law and the ‘profits’ of 
agriculture. 1 . Plants contain and need certain substan¬ 
ces which are essential to their growth. 2. Manure con¬ 
tains all those substances that plants want.” 
The essay consists of a thoroug'h chemical examination 
of plants, divested of all technicality, as far as possible, 
and is a beautiful illustration of skill in the adaptation of 
science to the purposes of the farmer. Dr. Dana, it is 
well known, is a warm advocate of the formation of ma¬ 
nures from peat or muck, by the addition of some of the 
alkalies, ashes or soda being preferred; and no inconsi¬ 
derable part of this essay is employed in showing that a 
compost so prepared, possesses all the virtues of stable 
manure, while it is much cheaper, and in its results more 
durable. The numerous experiments made by Dr. Dana, 
have confirmed him in the opinions advanced by him¬ 
self and by Prof. Liebig, that ammonia is the grand agent 
in fertilization; and it appears difficult to escape from 
the argument, as stated in the Essay. In connection with 
this subject he states a fact, important to those who rely 
on green crops, buckwheat, corn, clover, &c. for ma¬ 
nures, which is that—“ While the straws of the grain 
bearing plants afford for every ton of green crop turned 
in, about three quarters of a lb. of ammonia, green corn 
stalks and herds grass about five pounds of ammonia per 
ton, red clover affords seventeen pounds of ammonia per 
tom The great value of clover in enriching land is thus 
made evident.” 
Dr. Dana’s labors are now directed into the right chan¬ 
nel. There are few men who are doing so much for the 
cause of agriculture as he ; and he deserves the thanks 
of every farmer. We trust he wilt persevere in the broad 
field of usefulness he has chosen. 
ANALYSIS OF SOILS. 
^ A. G. Johnson, Esq. of Benton, Fla., says:—«I am 
in need of a treatise on agricultural chemistry that I 
may analyze my soil and learn its character and consti¬ 
tuents. Will you recommend something that will suit 
me?” 
The volumes published by Davy, Chaptal, Dana or 
Liebig, would undoubtedly either of them contain the 
information wished by Mr. J. But if his object is ana¬ 
lysis, the Lectures on the Application of Chemistry to 
Agriculture, by Prof. Johnston, published at New-York 
by Wiley & Putnam, will be more complete and satis¬ 
factory than any work with which we are acquainted. 
The Lectures” will also be found in the highest de¬ 
gree interesting on nearly every topic connected with 
the science of agriculture. 
WHEAT ON THE ARISTOOK. 
Our correspondent “ Georgius,” of Hallowell, Me., 
■« ho makes some inquiries relative to the raising of wheat 
in the Aristook district, the kind best adapted to the pur¬ 
pose, and the price of seed, &c. is informed that there is 
no obstacle to the raising of good wheat in that latitude, 
which should deter the farmer from its cultivation. The 
chief difficulties there, will be the possibility of frost af¬ 
ter the stalk has commenced or the ears formed, which 
would be fatal; or the smothering of the plants during 
the long winter, with such deep snow and the ground 
unfrozen. The first it is presumed would be of rare oc¬ 
currence; and the last sometimes occurs in all the north¬ 
ern states. Spring wheat would not be so liable to these 
casualties; but it does not produce as much per acre as 
winter wheat, and is not as valuable for flour. Purcha¬ 
sers make a difference of from eight to ten cents in favor 
of winter wheat. The most valuable wheat for flour is 
the white flint, although there are some varieties, per¬ 
haps, more productive on the whole. Gen. Harmon of 
Wheatland, Monroe co. in this state, furnishes the most 
beautiful seed wheat, and charges only twenty-five cents 
per bushel more than the price of ordinary wheat, ma¬ 
king his sate price range from $1,00 to $1,25 per bushel. 
The cost of fi-ansportation from Rochester to Boston, 
would be probably not far from 75 to 100 cents per bar¬ 
rel. The best methods and times of sowing wheat, so as 
to have it endure the long winters of the Aristook coun¬ 
try, will be most satisfactorily decided by experiment; 
but it may be remarked that as a general rule any where’ 
wheal sown early and of large growth, is more apt to 
smother in the winter under snow, while it is not as lia¬ 
ble to be thrown out in the spring and killed that way, as 
late sown wheat. With the exception of damage from 
the Hessian fly, winter wheat is not so liable to injury 
from insects as spring wheat, and is far less liable to 
blight or shrinkage, as it comes forward earlier, and is 
matured usually by the time the season most favprable 
for blight commences. 
FOOD OF THE GERMAN PEASANTRY. 
Veit, in his work on Husbandry, gives the following 
as the kind of food, and the quantity, on w'hich the farm 
laborers in Germany usually subsist, and his account is 
fully corroborated by Howitt’s Domestic Life in Ger¬ 
many. 
For breakfast, from one-half to two-thirds of a quart 
of skimmed sour milk, with an allowance of two and a 
half ounces of barley meal (or 29 oz. to 8 persons) per 
indivdiual. For dinner, dumplings of wheat flour, 4 
ounces of flour to a person, with skimmed milk; or if 
meat is given, three-fourths of a pound, with’barley 
bread, constitutes the allowance. For supper, 2 pounds 
of wheat meal, made into meal soup in skimmed milk, 
for ten persons, with a pint of skimmed milk to each, 
and a pound and a half of potatoes, makes the meal. 
There are of course some variations in the mode of 
serving up this homely food, and on feast days boiled 
polk and beer are sometimes added to the ordinary pro¬ 
visions. 
That such a rnode of living is not unfavorable to 
health, the condition of the German peasant and his ge¬ 
neral longevity fully prove, but we can hardly believe 
a person could perform the severe tasks which meet the 
American laborer, with such food and in such quantities 
as are specified above. Certainly the living of the Ger¬ 
man laborer is of the most simple and px-imitive kind. 
WALL FRUIT. 
“ As our climate (Orange co., Vt., 44^,) is too severe 
for glowing the peach, quince, and every variety of 
our native grape, in the open field, could we not raise 
such fruits by the help of a fruit wall? An answer 
thiough your valuable paper, with some directions as to 
the best method of constructing a fruit wall, and some, 
hints on training and pruning wall fruit, would much 
gratify Yours, &c., g. S. P.” 
Walls produce an excellent effect on fruits reared 
against or near them, in two ways; they protect them 
fiom cold winds, and they increase the temperature in 
which the fruit is growing, giving, as far as their in- 
fluence extends, the climate of 30® in the latitude of 
40 . Many of the more delicate fruits could not be 
grown to perfection in England without the aid of walls- 
hence walls for fruit purposes are much more common 
there than here. The construction or materials of the 
walls are comparatively of little consequdnce, provided 
It be sufficiently high, thick, and of a dark color. Brick 
or stone are the best, and xvhere gardens are walled with 
these materials, they may be easily used for training 
fruit. A southern exposure is of course required. Al¬ 
most every one has seen the more delicate fruits, grapes, 
&e. ripened fully in the open air against a wall in the 
northern states, and where no other is at hand, the wall 
o. the house or other buildings is frequently used suc¬ 
cessfully. In planting and training wall fruit, the trees 
or vines should be set at such a dislance from the wall 
as to allow space for the roots, and yet allow the 
branches or tops, as they shoot out, to be easily brought 
in contact with the wall where fruit is to be produced. 
To perfect the fruit, the branches should be trained or 
spread in such a manner as to allow the whole the ben¬ 
efit of the wall temperature as much as possible, and 
secured in such a way as to allow as little rubbing or 
friction as possible. The pruning must of course be 
conducted with reference to this object, or throwing the 
head of the tree in such a form that it may spread over 
the wall, and allow the fruit to be equally affected by 
the reflected heat. Our correspondent may find a full 
account of the methods and benefits of training, in Lind- 
ley’s Theory of Horticulture, American edition, page 
243 and sequel. 
PREMIUM MILCH COWS. 
At Worcester —At the October Cattle Show and 
Pair at Worcester, ten cows were offered for the pre¬ 
miums to be awarded on milch cows. By the regula¬ 
tions of the Society, the quantity of milk given in ten 
days, from the 10th to the 20th of June, and from the 
lOth to the 20th of September, was to be ascertained by 
weight, and the butter made from this milk to be re¬ 
ported to the committee. 
The first premium of $12 was awarded to Mr. Car¬ 
penter, for a cow of the Holilerness breed, 4 years old. 
In the time specified, she gave 380 lbs. of milk, from 
which was produced 18f lbs. of butter; and from the 
10th to the 20th of September, she gave 356 lbs. of milk, 
which produced 17^ lbs. of butter. The cow was kept 
in pasture with ten others. 
The second premium of $8 was given to Mr. Watson, 
for a native cow, 4 years old. In the time specified, she 
gave 401 lbs. of milk, which made 18| lbs. of butter, 
and from the 10th to the 20th of September, she gave 
277 lbs. of milk, which made l5| lbs. butter. 
The thirxl premium of $6 was given to Wm. Eames, 
for a native cow, 8 years old. In the time pointed out, 
she gave 340 lbs. of milk, which made 17^ lbs. of but¬ 
ter, and from the 10th to the 20th of September, she 
gave 260 lbs. of milk, which made 13J lbs. butter. 
The fourth premium of $3 was awarded to Mr. Miles, 
for a cow 9 years old,which in the ten days in June gave 
385 lbs. of milk, from which 18^ lbs. of butter was 
made, and in the ten days in September, 368 lbs. of milk, 
producing 17| lbs. butter. 
Mr. Allen offered a fine one-fourth Durham cow, 
which produced in the time specified in June, 335 lbs. 
of milk, from which 163 lbs of butter was made. 
At Northampton —Ten cows were offered for the 
premium, which xvas awarded to Mr. Hitchcock, for a 
cow entered as a native. Her average product of milk 
for the six months ending the 1st of October, was 49 lbs. 
per day, and in June and July, 58 lbs. per day. In but¬ 
ter, her average product during the same time, was 11 
lbs. per week, and in July alone, 14 lbs. per week. Du¬ 
ring this period, he usexl the necessary milk and cream 
for his family of four persons. The committee state 
that though considered a native animal, she clearly par¬ 
takes largely of the blood of the Short Horns; and that 
among the animals entered as of 7iaiive and foreign ori¬ 
gin, there was more of the blood of distinct imported 
races in the former than in the latter. 
REPORT ON PLOWS. 
In our last number we published the Report of the 
Comhiittee to award the Premiums on Plows at the State 
Fair at Rochester. The Committee have since sent us 
the annexed statement: 
“Since the first publication of the report, it has been 
discovered that the Clerk of the Committee made a ma¬ 
terial mistake in his minutes of the draft of the Caledonia 
Plow. The average was put down at 345 lbs., whereas 
it should have read 422 lbs. This, it will be seen, is a 
great^ difference, and would doubtless have altered the 
decisions of the Committee in their award of premiums 
had the error been discovered in time. As it is, all that 
can be done is to wait for another year, when it may be 
hoped there will be more perfect instruments and better 
arrangements for a thorough trial. 
_ “ The Committee wish further to state, that Mr. Cod¬ 
ding of Ontario county, had a plow at the Fair of larger 
size than the one he had at the trial, and of the same pat- 
tei-n as the one for which he received a premium • but it 
was sent home before the trial, because one of the Com¬ 
mittee informed him erroneously that only one size 
woukl be tested of the same pattern. They now think 
that his large plow would have obtained the first premi¬ 
um if it had been at the trial.” 
Improvement of Wheat.—A t the late meeting of the 
Royal Ag. Society, Lord Hardxvicke in some remarks on 
the importance of paying more attention to the selection 
of seed wheat, stated that in some experiments made to 
test the advantages of this, it was found that by pursuing 
a course of selection, the crops were doubled. “ Thus 
the golden drop wheat had given 46 bushels per acre; a 
fine Suffolk variety 76 bushels; and another and still lon¬ 
ger improved kind had reached 82 bushels per acre.” 
Such statements illustrate most forcibly the importance 
of (he course now pursuing by Gen. Harmon of Wheat- 
land, for improving the wheat of this state, and the beau¬ 
tiful specimens exhibited by him at the State Ag. Fair at 
Rochester, and now in the Ag. Museum at Albany, show 
with the most decided success. 
