1858 . 
165 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
been, mostly covered with yellow pine ; the growth was 
very heavy on it formerly. It may be here remarked that 
the pine lands of Long Island are different from and en¬ 
tirely unlike all and any other pine lands in the State of 
New- York or in New-Kngland, and in this difference con¬ 
sists the great merit of these Island lands for high culture. 
The soil and subsoil are not loose and porous—-the soil is a 
fine, lirm, compact loam, of sufficient tenacity to make 
sun-dried brick right out of the first 12 or 18 inches of the 
surface soil, on thousands of acres of these middle Island 
lands, and yet is not wet, nor cold, nor sour. 
I am asked, “ Does the land need underdraining?” Air 
swer—No ! It is the most completely and perfectly under- 
drained country in the world,—no art can equal it, no hu¬ 
man power can make anything like it. 
After penetrating or going through the peculiar covering 
of the Island, the detritus or soil proper which is every¬ 
where spread over the Island’s surface like a crust or blan¬ 
ket, to the depth of from 18 inches to 3 or 5 feet,—in 
many places to a much greater depth than 5 feet,—after 
going through this, the fine hard and compact gravel and 
sand are reached, which everywhere form the main body 
of the Isiand. This under structure consists in many pla¬ 
ces of beautiful sea-washed quartz pebbles, intermixed 
with fine silicious sand, all firmly and hardly pressed to¬ 
gether, forming the most complete and perfect underdrain 
or filter. In many places clays are found. “ Sands and 
loams, interstratified with beds of gravel, boulders and 
clay form the strata of Long Island.”—(See Thompson’s 
Hist, of Long Island.) In some parts of the Island clays 
are very abundant, from which large quantities of brick 
are made. 
It may be inferred from this description, that the earth 
or soil is leachy, or too porous. It is not so, and this is an¬ 
other peculiarity of the Island. This under-sand and 
gravel is so firm and hard, that it seems as though they 
have been under an immense hydraulic pressure—(there 
are no quicksands,) —they are so firmly pressed together, 
the interstices so filled with fine comminuted sand, almost 
levigated, that water does not pass rapidly through it, but 
peccolates si owl)’- and gradually after leaving the surface. 
After rain the water soon disappears from the surface, so 
as to leave the soil in a condition to work very soon after. 
This great underground work forms a vast reservoir of 
subterraneous moisture or water, so far below the surface 
as to prevent any injury to vegetation, or not to inter¬ 
fere with the temperature of the earth commonly called 
“ bottom heat,” but which supplies the numerous beauti¬ 
ful streams that arise near the central parts of the Island 
and flow to the shores. The waters of these streams are 
copious and as clear as crystal, as sweet and pure as water 
can be, never fail at any season of the year, are nearly or 
quite as full in July and August as in April and May. 
Such a thing as a dry mill-pond in the month of August 
on one of these Island streams, is unknown. There is not 
a stagnant pool nor stream on the whole Island. 
Another remarkable feature is, that on lands or farms 
not supplied with springs or streams, the manner in which 
water is held on the surface—the farmers adopt a mode of 
making u surface pools,” or what are termed “ watering 
holes,” to afford water for cattle. They are made simply 
by excavating a sort of basin in some place in the field or 
on the farm where there is a gentle depression, by scooping 
out the earth two or three feet dee)) in the middle, and 15 
or 20 feet in diameter, and in some places puddling the 
bottom with clay ; in many places they need no puddling, 
only pressing or treading the soil firmly in the bottom. 
These places being filled by the rains, retain the water the 
whole summer without change or putrescence, and which 
cattle will use freely. It is seldom that one of these wa¬ 
tering places fail, even in the dryest season. They are 
made on the elevated parts of the Island, more than 100 
feet above tide-water, and may be called ” open ” or “ sur¬ 
face cisterns.” I have never seen anything of the kind in 
any other part' of the State of New-York that would hold 
water during the entire summer. Tornadoes, floods or 
freshets are unknown on Long Island, nor is the country 
infested with deadly serpents or poisonous reptiles. 
Islip is an old town, having been settled near 200 years; v 
and there are within three miles of this land many elegant 
and costly mansions, and highly cultivated farms and gar¬ 
dens—schools and churches. These cultivated lands are 
valued at and now command, from $100 to $500 per acre, 
and they arc no better than this now offered. This land 
will be sold in lots or parcels to suit purchasers, at $20 per 
acre. Terms, from 10 to 25 per cent., at the option or con¬ 
venience of the purchaser, cash, the balance in five years 
with yearly interest Title indisputable. 
More than fifteen years experience with and observation 
of these lands, satisfy me beyond all doubt of the truth of 
?) every thing I have said in relation thereto, and of the facts 
< I speak from personal positive knewledge, and hold my- 
7 self responsible to sustain everything I have ever said in 
relation to the Island and its lands, water, soil, climate 
and health. 
As a premium or inducement to settle and improve this 
land, I will give to each purchaser, or settler, who will 
make improvements, (until further notice,) a commuta¬ 
tion ticket to pass over the Long Island Railroad between 
Brooklyn and North Islip, for one year, and also will carry 
out all his freight, lumber and building materials, at my 
own cost or charge for one year. 
Address EDGAR F. PECK, M. D. 
302 State Street, Brooklyn, N. Y 
Or apply by letter or in person to Anthony J. Bleecker & 
Son, No. 7, Broad Street, New-York. 
To the Post Master, Sufi'ulk Station, North Islip, Long 
Island, N. Y. 
Refer as to title and quality of land to the Hon. Levi S. 
Chatfield, (late Attorney General of the State of 
New-York,) No. G Wall Street, New-York. 
To the Hon. George Miller, (late Judge and Surrogate of 
Suffolk County.) Riverhead, Suffolk County, Long 
Island, N. Y. 
Apply also to Samuel Coverlv, No. 10 State Street, Bos¬ 
ton, and to John II. Wiles, Buffalo, N. Y. 
April 22—w&mlt. 
Top Oaai©t&§—Osiloaa SeiCs, 
LSO a large assortment of FIELD AND GARDEN 
SEEDS, such as Spring 'Wheat and Rye, Barley, Oats, 
Broom Corn, King Philip Corn, White Flint, Eight-rowed 
Yellow, Tuscarora and Sweet Corn, Peas and "Beans—of 
the most approved kinds, together with a great variety of 
early GARDEN SEEDS, may be found at No 84 State-st., 
Albany, N. Y. PEASE & EGGLESTON. 
P. S. A lot of two-bushel Cotton Bags for sale. 
April 1—w2tmlt 
KETOHIJ M’S 
Combined Harvester for 1§5§, 
Without any Frame, and with a Reel! 
HE improvements on this cel ebrated Machine for 1858 
will render it the most desirable machine ever offered 
to the public. Among these improvements are the follow¬ 
ing :— 
1st. An expanding Reel, very simple, and ingeniously 
arranged so as to be readily attached, and is propelled by 
the main shaft. 
2d. A new. strong and well-braced guard, which will not 
clog. 
3d. An adjustable Roller with a lever, by which the dri¬ 
ver, while in his seat, can elevate the finger-bar and hold 
it in any desired position, for transportation, to pass over 
obstructions, and to aid in backing or turning corners. 
4th. A Roller in the outer shoe, on which the finger-bar 
rests, which obviates all side draft and very much lessens 
the direct draft 
The simple mowers have wrought-iron frames, with all 
of the other improvements except a Reel. With these 
improvements the draft of the Ketcitum Machine is as 
light as any machine known, and by the test with the Dy- 
nanometer at Syracuse, by the U. S. Ag. Society last July, 
the draft of the Reaper was more than one-quarter less 
than any other of the 13 Reapers on trial. This result is 
obtained by enlarging the main wheel for Reaping, which 
lessens the motion of the knives and the actual draft of 
the machine fully one-quarter. 
The very best material is used throughout, and no 
pains or money are spared to make the Ketchum Ma¬ 
chine what the farmer needs. 
Sample machines can be seen at all the principal places, 
and persons are invited to examine them before buying 
any other—remembering that the best is always the 
cheapest. R. L. HOWARD, 
Buffalo, N. Y., 
(Near N. Y. Central Depot on Chicago-st.) 
April 8—w&.m3ms 
