MOOKE’S EUEAl NEW-YOEKEll; AN AGEICULTUEAl AND FAMILY JOUENAL. 
TKIAL OF PLOWS AT ALBANY. 
If the accounts we have received are to 
be relied upon, of which we have no doubt, 
the recent trial of Plows under the super¬ 
vision of Judges appointed by the State 
Ag. Society, was very thorough and satis¬ 
factory. We learn from the Journal of the 
Society, that over forty plows Avere entered 
for trial, as follow'S;— 
E. J. Burrall, Geneva—4 Plows—Shell wheel. 
Iron beam, Stiff soil, and Stubble plow. 
A. Gilbert, New York — 2 Plows—Mooer’s 
patent for stiff soils. 
French A Smith, Rome, Oneida Co. —3 ploAVS 
— Michigan Sod and Subsoil Plow, Michigan .Joint 
Plow, Michigan Plow. 
W. U. Chase, Amsterdam—3 Plows. 
A. Fleck, Montreal — Wilkie’s Scotch Plow. 
N. B. Starbuck, Troy—5 Plows — Starbuck’s 
Trojan, do.. Iron Beam, do.. No. 3, No. 4. do.. 
Side-hill. 
Peter Auld, New Hartford, Oneida Co.— 2 
Plows. 
Miner, Horton & ('o., PcckskilJ — 4 1 cokiifkill 
Plows. 
H. L. Emery, Albany — I Plow. 
Bosworth, Rich &. Co., T. roy o 1 lows 
Cast Iron Beam and Sod Plow, Side-hill do., Sub¬ 
soil do.. Stubble do. 
John Randerson, Schodack — 11 low. 
Prouty & Me \RS, Boston — 4 Centre Draft 
Plows, and Side-hill and Subsoil Plows. 
Eddy & Co., Union Village, Washington Co., 
— .5 Plows — Washington Co. Plow, Side-hill do,. 
Subsoil do.. Grubber do.. Stubble do. 
R. R. Finch & Co., Peekskill — 2 Empire 
Plows. 
Making upwards of 40 plows entered for the 
trial. The trial commenced on Tuesday, June 4, 
on the farm of J. J. Lansing, Greenbush. The 
stubble, or old land was first plowed. For this 14 
plows were entered, viz;— Fleck’s Wilkie Plow, 
French & Smith’s Michigan Plow, Eddy’s Wash- 
isngton Co. Plow, Randerson’s Schodack Plow, 
Miner & Horton’s Peekskill Plow, Starbuck’s 
Trojan Plow, Auld’s “ improved ” Scotch Plow, 
Prouty & Mear’s Two Centre Draught Plows, 
Bosworth, Rich & Co., Iron Beam Plow, Finch’s 
Empire Plow, Emerj^’s Albany Plow, Burrall’s 
Shell-Wheel Plow, Chase’s Amsterdam Plow.— 
The trial of these plows occupied the judges until 
Thursday. 
On Thursday, 3 Side-hill plows — Prouty’s, 
Rich’s and Eddy’s, and also 2 Subsoil plows; 
Prouty’s and Rich’s were tested. 
On Friday, 26 plows were entered for sod land. 
Stiff soil, viz:—3 by Prouty & Co., 3 by Miner, 
Horton jfe Co., 4 by Bosworth, Rich & Co., 3 by 
French & Smith, 1 by Emerj', 2 by Chase, 1 by 
Burrall, 1 by Eddy & Co., 1 by Randerson. 3 by 
Starbucfe&’Co., 1 by Finch, 1 by Gilbert, 1 by 
Fleck, and 1 by Auld. 
The trial commenced on Tuesday, June 
11, and closed on Saturday, the 15th—giv¬ 
ing ample time to secure the result desired, 
a fair test of the power required to draw 
each plow. The ffoxLTtxoX states 
that each plow “ received a thorough and 
satisfactory test—by itself—and the com¬ 
petitors, Ave believe have expressed them¬ 
selves satisfied in every- respect with the 
proceedings of the judges. Too much 
praise cannot be awarded to the Judges for 
their perseverance and faithfulness in dis¬ 
charging the duties devolving upon them. 
They are gentlemen in whom the public 
have the highest confidence, and their re¬ 
port will be looked for with deep interest.” 
We learn that the awards of the Judges 
will be made as soon as practicable, con¬ 
sistent with a due and careful examination 
of every question that has a bearing upon 
the subject. Their report, it is stated, wall 
probably be made known to the public at 
the Annual Fair of the Society, in Sep¬ 
tember. ^ _ 
“ He is a public benefactor, who, by the 
prudent and skilful outlay of his money in 
bettering its condition, shall make a single 
field yield permanently a double crop; and 
he who does this over a square mile, virtu¬ 
ally adds a square mile to the national ter¬ 
ritory—be does more, he doubles to 
this extent, the territorial resources of the 
country, without giving the state any larger 
actual area to defend. All hail, then, to 
the improvers of the sod! Health and 
long life be their fortune—may their hearts 
be light and their pumes heavy—may their 
dreams be few and pleasant, and their sleep 
the sweet repose of the weary—may they 
see the fruits of their own labor, and n^y 
their sons reap still heavier harvests.” 
Mathematics of Bees. —The wamest 
admirers of honey, and the greatest friends 
to bees, will never I presume, contend that 
the young swarm, who begin making honey 
three or four months after they are born, 
and immediately construct these mathema¬ 
tical cells, should have gained their mathe¬ 
matical knowledge as we gain ours, and in 
three months’ time outstrip Mr. Maclaurin 
in mathematics as much as they did in ma- 
hiniT honey. It would take a senior wran¬ 
gler at Cambridge ten hours a day, for 
three years together, to know enough of 
mathematics for the calculation of these 
problems, with which not only every queen 
bee, but every undergraduate grub, is ac¬ 
quainted the moment it is born. Sidney 
Smith’s Sketches of Philosopyy. 
If you wish to make a good cow of a two 
years old heifer, let her have calf, and then 
milk her three times a day regularly. This 
Avill increase her capacity to secrete milk. 
CROWELL’S THERMOMETER CHURN. 
This is one of the best patent Churns in 
use. Many consider it decidedly superior to 
any and all others. The principle upon 
which it is constructed is admitted to be 
correct, and it operates well. It has two 
metallic cylinders, one within the other, and 
the cream is tempered by introducing hot 
or cold water — the temperature being 
always indicated by a thermometer attach¬ 
ed to the churn. The annexed cut, and 
extract from the patentee’s directions for 
using this churn, will give the reader an 
idea of its operation: 
The part that contains the milk or cream 
to be churned should be managed as in 
other churns, by putting in water before 
the cream is put in; if cold weather, warm 
water; if warm weather, cold water. If 
the milk or cream is not the right degree of 
heat when put into the churn, you can 
ascertain by the thermometer (a) which is 
placed under the plate on the end of the 
churn, and marked at 62 degrees; if too 
warm it will stand above it, if too cold be¬ 
low the 62 degree mark. If too warm ap¬ 
ply cold water; if too cold, warm water, in 
the chamber or space below the cream, by 
means of a tunnel (5) at the side of the 
churn, which will readily bring it to the 
right degree of heat. If it becomes too 
warm or too cold after the application of the 
water, draw off a part or the whole of it, by 
means of a tube in the bottom of the cham¬ 
ber.” 
These churns can be obtained at most of 
the Agricultural Warehouses throughout 
the country. They are for sale by Rapal- 
je & Briggs, of this city, as Avill be seen by 
their card. There are three sizes, at $4, 
$5 and $6. 
LATENESS OF THE SEASON—INSECTS, &c. 
Green peas began to be seen in market 
about the 20th; on other yeai-s generally 
from the 5th to 10th. Some of the early 
strawberries (Duke of Kent and Early Scar¬ 
let,) were in market sparingly on the 15th 
—ten days later than last year. Rose bugs 
usually appear with the opening of the cab¬ 
bage rose, which last year was on the 9th; 
and this year the first rose opened on the 
20th, and the bug appeared in small num¬ 
bers the same day. 
The rose bug is rather a local infliction, 
but a veiy great one where it prevails.— 
They attack grapes, cherries, peaches and 
apples while in a young state, and the foli¬ 
age of many plants and trees. They greatly 
prefer the rose blossom, frequently hanging- 
on them like a swarm of bees. It is not 
knoAvn where nor how they propogate, but 
appear to come from the east, in this region. 
No bird or fowl will eat them, and there is 
no method known to prevent their depre¬ 
dations. 
The yellow bug has hhrdly been seen as 
yet, and the squash bug equally seldom.— 
Whether their period is in obeyance to the 
production of their proper food, or whether 
there arc bearing and non-bearing or produ¬ 
cing years with them, like the June bug and 
locust, has not as yet been determined. 
Curculios appeared about the first of 
June, and have been working at their trade 
very industriously, to the great damage of 
plums and apricots, and the disappointment 
of the lovers of those fruits. We predict 
a short crop. 
The depredations of the cut worm have 
been but trifling this year, and their period 
is past The cold and wet weather of the 
spring months may have had an unfavorable 
effect upon the development of insect life, 
that depends upon the changes from the 
chrysalis to the perfect state. 
The raising of Merino Sheep in Virginia 
has become a very profitable business. T he 
old fields and waste lands that abound so 
largely in the State, are being very greatly 
improved by pasturing the sheep upon them. 
First procure first rate animals for your 
I farm and then procure good, humane and 
I intelligent men to take care of them. 
DILCUSSION ON WHEAT CULTURE, ] 
At one of the Agricultural meetings m 
Albany, last winter, the subject of Wheat 
Culture was discussed by several gentlemen i 
possessed of considerable practical knowl¬ 
edge. As some valuable and interesting ^ 
facts were elicited, we copy the remarks of 
the principal speakers, as reported for the i 
Albany papers: 
Mr. Brewer, of Tompkins county, said ' 
he had cultivated wheat for more than 20 ' 
years, and would give some of the results 
of his experience. A part of his farm, 
Avhich in 1830 was an open common, has 
been wholly devoted to wheat and clover ^ 
since that time—having produced 13 crops 
of wheat and 8 of clover. The soil is rather • 
a gravelly loam. His fiirm is on one of the | 
hills, towards the head of Cayuga Lake, 
which it is said were burned over by the 
Indians every year. He had made various 
experiments in plowing at different depths 
—from three inches to seven inches—and i 
has always had the best crops where the 
furrows have been the shallowest. Usually 
plows but once for wheat; has sometime^ 
plowed in May, but had no better crops 
than Avhen he plowed in September, just 
before sowing. The yields he had obtain¬ 
ed were from 16 to 26 bushels per acre.— 
On new land—stiff soils for instance—^it 
might be necessary to plow more than once 
for a wheat crop, and in such cases it might 
be better to plow deep the first time. 
Mr. B. stated that he. had made some tri¬ 
als with various quantities of seed per acre, 
as l^-. If, 2 and 2^ bushels, and had usu¬ 
ally got the best returns from the latter 
quantity; that is, 2^ bushels of seed had giv¬ 
en from 2 to 3 bushels more yield per acre 
than 2 bushels of seed, and 6 bushels more 
than 1-^ bushels seed. He had not been 
plagued with rust but once in 20 years.— 
Was seldom annoyed with the Hessian fly 
or with the wheat midge; but the wheat 
has often been much injured by these in¬ 
sects in vallies, when it was not noticed on 
the hills. Has commenced sowing wheat in 
drills; sowed a part of his crop in this way 
last fall; the drilled portion looked much the 
best at the setting in of winter. Saw two 
fields of wheat last year, adjoining each 
other, on one of which the seed was drilled 
in, and on the other sown broadcast; the 
drilled yielded much the best. Drilled 
wheat stands the winter best; the small 
ridges between the rows are constantly 
working down, and keep the roots of the 
wheat covered. 
Mr. B. spoke of the Etrurian wheat, which 
had lately been introduced, and had so far 
done Avell—it weighed 64 pounds to the 
bushel. - 
Mr, Lawrence, of Yates county, differed 
from the preceding speaker in regard to the 
proper depth of plowing. The remarks in 
favor of shallow plowing, seemed strange to 
his ear. The farmers of Yates improve 
their land by deep plowing. The farm 
Avhich he occupied had been rented for 
many y^ars previously to its coming into his 
possession, and had been plowed about four 
inches deep, and produced 12 to 15 bush¬ 
els of wheat per acre. He at once plowed 
it 6 to 7 inches deep, and raised the first 
season 30 bushels of wheat to the acre.— 
It was the general expression, in his coun¬ 
ty, that deep tillage ivas the best for all 
crops. 
He had tried subsoiling; first plowed with 
a common plow, 7 inches, then run the sub¬ 
soil plow the same depth—cross plowed be¬ 
fore sowing Aviieat—has invariably had the 
best crops where he has subsoiled—has 
sometimes subsoiled a portion of a field and 
left the remainder plowed only in the ordi¬ 
nary way, and the yield is always in favor of 
the subsoiled part His is a strong lime¬ 
stone soil, and he intends to subsoil his 
whole farm, being satisfied that it will pay. 
He makes great use of clover as a fertilizer 
’and uses plaster to benefit the clover.— 
Never could perceive that plaster benefitted 
the wheat much, but it greatly increases the 
growth of clover. He attributes the im¬ 
provement of the soil by clover mostly to the 
roots; they penetrate the earth to the depth 
of two to two and a half feet, and raise the 
soluble substances on ivhich the plaht feeds, 
to the surface, where, by decomposition, 
they supply food to the wheat crop. 
Mr. L. said wheat was formerly raised in 
Yates county chiefly on fallows; but latter¬ 
ly, the more common course is to take first 
corn, then barley, then ivheat—the corn 
generally manured—but it must be remem¬ 
bered that this cannot be done on a poor 
soil. He had tried wheat after various kinds 
of grain, but it does best after barley. The 
system of drilling wheat is beginning to be 
practiced in Yates county, and Mr. L. con¬ 
curred with what had been before said in 
regard to the advantages of this mode of 
sowing. Palmer’s is the kind of drill most 
in use in his neighborhood, and it gives good 
satisfaction. The quantity of seed sown can 
be regulated to a quart to the acre. It 
covers the seed one and a half to two inches 
deep. The rows are nine inches apart— 
The cost of the machine is $55. The best 
varieties of wheat in Yates county, are the 
Hutchinson, Soule’s and Flint Many pre¬ 
ferred the Hutchinson on account of its 
earliness and freedom from rust It would 
ripen two weeks earlier than the red chaff, sown, and it produced chess. He had often 
Mr. L, thought they raised as good crops of examined wheat that ivas called clean, and 
wheat in Yates aS in any county in the State, found chess enough among it to produce all 
He had himself raised 44 bushels per acre that ivas grown among the wheat In wet 
on 16 acres, in 1846. places the wheat ivould die out, but the chess 
Lieut Gov. Patterson said his experience ’"^^uld grow all the better, and people were 
was in fai^or of deep plowing. The wheat a-stomshed at the quantity, 
lands in the Genesee valley, when new, pro- ’ (whose name we did not 
duced about 15 bushels of ivheat per acre, learn,) made some rernarks in regard to 
They were plowed shallow—the farmers smut He had sown a piece of ground with 
generally had not then sufficient strength ®eed ivheat that was a little srautt)', but 
of team to plow deep; now they plow much scarcely enough to be noticed did not ap- 
deeper than formerly, and obtain from 25 plj anything to prevent smut, and 
to 30 bushels per acre. In Livingston Co., was two-thirds smut His son sow- 
35 bushels per acre were obtained on some some of the same seed, prepared by 
farms. Some farmers there, now plow ten soaking in brine, and then limed, and the 
inches deep. Deep tillage has many ad- ^^®P 1^^^ hardly any smut in it He in- 
vantages; an important one is, that it en- qaired whether this accorded with general 
ables crops to stand drouth. As to varieties experience. Several gentlemen replied that 
of wheat, the old red chaff bald had done they had never been troubled with smut 
best Avith him, and he had tried many kinds, when the seed Avas treated with lime, alkali. 
The Soule’s variety had done better than vitriol. 
stem IS being introduced, and meets with are often asked how soils should be 
stem IS being introGucea, ana meets witn We are often asked how soils should be 
favor. The proper time to sow wheat in selected for analysis, whether entirely from 
the Genesee valley, is from the 15th to 25th surface or part from below, what quan- 
of September. If sown earlier than this, it jg required, &c. 
is very liable to be injured by the Hessian chrystalized substance 
fly. As to the quantity of seed per acre composition may be ascertained by 
he thought a I>ushel and a ^ thrashed geometrical form, but is heterogeneous 
Avith a flail or trodden out by homes, Avas character, we must be careful that the 
about right; if the seed Avas thrashed with selected should represent an aver- 
a machine two bushels per acre were ne- 
cessary The difference was owing to the g^gg ^^ind that the lighter and 
wheat being broken in passing through a 
machine, so that many of the grains Avould g^ggg^ in ,tg of figipg at the 
not germinate. In regard to summer fal- nnd indeed even ac- 
lowing, he had had better success with ^ in p^t fields may by 
wheat on ground so prepared than m any ^ ^i^ p^ rendered the recipients 
other way, and thought he could raise wheat ^f ^p^n a due proportion of particular 
m that way cheaper than he could raise constituents 
corn or oats. As a crop to precede wheat Q^p^^ of the field by being under- 
he considers peas preferable to any kind of p ^^ight sub-soil, may remain wet for 
gram, or any crop except flax. The cheap- ^ gnfficient length of time to induce the de- 
est manure for wheat is clover, though he composition of some of the integrents of the 
would use all the manure froin the barn- ^^ij subsequent evaporation of the more 
yard; considers a good crop of clover equal portions—for the proper selection of 
to 20 loads of ordinary yard manure per ^ g ii^gn goijg for analysis, where the 
acre His practice is to sow 6 or 8 pounds obtained are to ‘enable the cultivator 
of clover seed per acre seed costs about select the proper manures for his crops 
10 cents per pound m spnng sows 100 p ]jj^Q.yyiijg fj^^e deficiencies of the soil, it is 
pounds of plaster per acre—pastures the necessary to select from a large number of 
clover till latter part of May and plows it pjj^ces and at different depths, mixing them 
under in June-—could^ never see that plas- together, and then taking a pint or less 
ter benefitted the wheat, but it makes the ^f mixture as the average of the surface 
clover, and the clover makes the Avheat.— ^f 
He is much in favor of the system of drill- ^ sample so selected, although it cannot 
mg wheat Wheat put in by this method p^ expected to represent an exact average 
IS less likely to_ be winter killed. The roots ^p^ jp ^Pg g^j.fogg ggp pg 
of gram that is sown broadcast, are often g^fPcjently near for practical purposes, 
ininrod bv the earth boms' blown off from _ , .... , , 
injured by the earth being blown off from 
them; by the drill system, this is prevented 
The above directions apply particularly 
to the surface soil, or that Avhich has been 
■ 1 ’ ,1 1 • V r 1.^4._ LU lUU suiiaut; OUii, Vi tiiau yy 
—the earth which forms the ridges between . , , , i i.- i i. * • j 
.1. L • n J * 1 freely Avorked and Avhich has sustained veg- 
the rows being blown over the wlieat, keep- , , y i, ^ i 
^ , tt- '4.,or « ^ c ©tables; but when the advice of a consult¬ 
ing tlie roots coA^ered. His wjeat crops . • u • . • • x i ^ 
, ..rvL-Li ing agriculturist IS intended to be asked m 
have sometimes been 40 bushels per acre 9 , ,, 
1 • J L L I ^ • 4 ^ relation to the abilities and proper crops tor 
-has raised 30 bushels per acre on sixty ^ 
“mo Coivles, of Onondaga county, said the greater fertilisation &c., then an analy- 
’ • r. f -1 • ai SIS ot the subsoil should also be made. By 
there was great variety of soil m that coun- v m • a. j r- 
ty-thatoLvhich oak and chestnut consti- «« subsoil is meant tljat under port on 
tuted the chief timber growth, was best for Previously boon disintegrated 
wheat; but SO years ago this kind of land '’J; f 
11 J selected for analysis should be equally as- 
was generally thought good tor nothing.— , . . . J j i xi + ^ 
11171 ° -L 4 x'u 1 -x 1 .. rsri 4 soitod lo positioH uiid dcptli, to ut least as 
When It was first tilled it was plowed about be reached by a sub- 
4 inches deep, and it did not produce very h 1 .elections of soils should 
well; noAv it is plowed irom / to 10 inches , ^ m . xi ^.i 
, ’ , 1 1 xi 1 J be made soon after a manuring, as the solu- 
deep, and the crops are good and the land 
IS growing bet or. n is mo an , ^ dependable quantities, and thus leads 
plaster benefits all crops; but on some other , ^ ^ ’ 
^ i_rt., to errors. 
soils plaster has no W>irent effecL On the ^ 
chestnut and oa an s, le es crops o m advise modes of culture, manur- 
wheat are obtained by sowing about the 1 compelled to 
first of September. He had noticed the ef- ^ 
feet of difleren crops on wheat, A held sufflciently explicit in his 
was sownas fol oivsi-one-thirdwl lipe^, should receive ac- 
one-third with bai ey, one- 111 wi i oa , .q—.— j^g analysis a description of the 
the next crop was wheat; it was best after .. the fertilizing ma- 
the peas, next best after barky, and poor^ h ■? ^ 
est after oafe So far as his observat on had prevading or 
gone, wheat was gcneia y poorer a eroa s y 3 ggj.|.yjttg the subsoil; also some account 
than after any other crop. On his land t,,. previous mode of manuring, depth to 
wheat wi^ generally best a ei a summer been plowed, eleA'ation above 
fallow. As to Amrurties, t le o as indeed all facts which may in 
flint w^ best the Canada in J)Gx es . remote degree effect the economy 
Re related ^n cxoeriment: a neighbor ot ._, ,r „ /•_ 
or requirements of the farm.— 
Farmer. 
FORESTS AND STREAMS. 
That remarkable man, Humbolt, has re- 
He related^n experiment, a neig or o requirements of the farm.— Working 
his took some Avinter Avheat —a Avhite vane- 
ty—put it into tubs, wet it, and left it to J-- 
freeze—it being in the winter season. It FORESTS AND STREAMS. 
remained frozen till spring, Avhen it was - 
sown; the produce Avas a red spring wheat That remarkable man, Humbolt, has re- 
which had been continued in his neighbor- duced it almost to a demonstration, that the 
hood until this day. This experiment con- streams of a country fail in proportion to 
vinced him that all wheat was of one species, the destruction of its timber. And of 
and that varieties might bo originated by course, if the streams fail, our seasons will 
causes unusually affecting the germ or the be worse; it must get drier and drier in pro¬ 
plant. portion. Every body knows, who can num- 
Lieut. Gov. Patterson had no reason to ber twenty years back, that the water 
doubt the result of the experiment just ci- courses have failed considerably, and that 
ted; it brouoht to his mind the long-contest- the seasons have been getting drier and 
ed point of the transmutation of wheat into drier every year. Humbolt, speaking of the 
chess. He has known chess produced un- valley of Argua, in Venezuela, says the lake 
der circumstances Avhich seemed to favor receded as agriculture advanced until beau- 
that hypothesis. He knew a piece of new tiful plantations of sugar cane, banana, and 
land, just cleared from the forest, at a con- cotton trees were established on its banks, 
siderable distance from any other cleared which (banks) year after year Avere further 
land, sown to Avheat, and on a swale, in the from them. After the separation of that 
middle of the piece, there Avas scarcely any- Province from Spain, and the decline of ag- 
thing grown but chess. riculture amid the desolating Avars that 
Mr Lawrence said he could not believe swept over this beautiful region, the process 
that a grain of wheat ever produced chess, of clearing was arrested, the old lands grew 
All the cases of supposed transmutation that up in trees with _ that rapidity common to 
he had ever heard of, could be explained the tropics, and in a few years the inhabi- 
Avithout resorting to such an unnatural idea, tants Avere alarmed by a rise of waters, and 
It was sometimes said that clean wheat was an inundation of their plantations. 
