THE CULTIVATOR. 
New-York State Agricultural. College. 
A meeting of the Trustees was held at Ovid on Tues¬ 
day, the 4th instant— 
Present— Gk>v. King, Chairman of the Board ; Samuel 
Cheever. President; William Kelly, Henry Wager, Ad¬ 
dison Gardner, Uosiah B. Williams, William Buell, Abra¬ 
ham A. Post. Maj. W. R. Patrick. Alexander Thompson, 
M. D., E. P. Prentice, Benjamin N. Huntington, James O. 
Sheldon, Arad Joy, B. P. Johnson. 
Reports from the President and Treasurer of receipts 
and expenditures, and statement of the funds at the 
disposal of the Board, were presented and read. 
The Building Committee submitted a report of their 
proceedings—stating that an examination had been 
made upon the farm, and it was ascertained that good 
material for the manufacture of brick were to be had 
upon the farm convenient to the buildings to be erected 
and that proposals for their manufacture had been re¬ 
ceived. Propositions for furnishing stone from quarries 
at Waterloo and Springport had been received. The 
Building Committee had solicited estimates from build¬ 
ers for the construction of the centre building and south 
wing of the College, and presented to the Board four 
propositions and estimates from different parties for its 
consideration. 
After an examination of the several propositions, the 
Board decided that the same being beyond the means 
under the control of the Trustees, were inadmissible, 
and the Building Committee were instructed not to ac¬ 
cept either of the propositions. 
A resolution was adopted, that the Building Com¬ 
mittee procure one or more plans for the erection of 
buildings to accommodate at least 100 students, the 
cost of the same to be within the means of the Board. 
The Trustees examined the farm and made arrange¬ 
ments for the management of the same at reduced ex¬ 
pense ; and adjourned to meet at the call of the Chair¬ 
man at as early a day as practicable. 
The Building Committee expect to be able to present 
to the Trustees plans in accordance with the resolution 
adopted, early in June ; and should the same be ap¬ 
proved, intend to proceed immediately with the erec¬ 
tion of the buildings. B. P. Johnson, Secretary. 
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Experiment in Potato Culture. 
Messrs. Editors —Last spring, having about three 
acres of poor sandy land, (so poor that I feared it 
would not pay the cost of cultivation,) which I wished 
to sow with wheat the ensuing fall, I thought I would 
experiment with potatoes. Below I give you my man¬ 
ner of cultivation and the accompanying results, which 
though not as good as Mr. Gerald Howatt’s, yet taking 
into consideration the condition of the soil, which the 
year before produced nine and one-half bushels of 
corn per acre, I think I have done passably well. 
Cultivation— Frst plowed the land nine inches deep, 
then harrowed; then drew trenches eight inches deep 
three feet apart; then sowed a mixture of guano and 
plaster; then run a sub-soil plow in each row, mixing 
the compound with the soil; then planted the potatoes 
sixteen inches apart in the row; then covered with 
barn-yard manure; then sowed a mixture of plaster, 
lime and ashes on the manure, covering all with soil, 
using a one-horse plow. I tried some, putting the po¬ 
tatoes on the manure, which yielded eleven bushels 
more per acre. This I attribute to the exceeding 
moisture of last year. 
As soon as the shoots appeared, I harrowed down the 
ridges left by the plow, leaving all perfectly level. 
When about four inches high, went through with the 
cultivator and hoe. At the first appearance of a blos¬ 
som bud, went through with a plow, throwing soil to 
the plants, following with hoes again. Though plant¬ 
ed in March, I waited until October before gathering, 
thinking they would keep better in the ground than 
out. Took them out with plow and harrow. The po¬ 
tatoes were all sound and good. Varieties, Early 
Mountain June and White Mercer. 
The product was 120 bushels per acre, which were sold at 
75 cents per bush.,. $90.00 
Cost of cultivation, manure, and seed, and interest 
on land,..$22 90 
Sending to market, at 20 cts. per bush.,. 24.00 $46.90 
Profit per acre,. $43.10 
Surry Co., Va. T. L. Meinikheim. 
Recipe for a Clieap Beer. 
Editors of Country Gentleman —A correspondent 
in your valuable journal, makes inquiry in reference 
to brewing spruce beer. As many of your subscribers 
may be benefitted by the following recipe, I take plea¬ 
sure in forwarding it to you. I use it in preference to 
coffee in the morning, in preference to wine at dinner, 
and consider it superior to tea at supper. It is a valu¬ 
able aperient, and for dyspeptic patients is a valuable 
medicine. 
Prepare a five or ten gallon keg, in proportion to the 
size of the family—draw a piece of coarse bobinet, or 
very coarse book-muslin over the end of the faucet that 
is inserted into the keg, to present its choaking, a good 
tight bung, and near to that a gimlet hole, with a peg 
to fit it tight. 
Recipe for Five Gallons. —One quart of sound corn, 
put into the keg, with half a gallon molasses; then fill 
with cold water to within two inches of the bung. 
Shake well, and in two or three days it will bo fit for 
use. Bung tight. 
If you want spruce flavor, add one tea-spoon of es¬ 
sence of spruce—lemon, if lemon is preferred—ginger, 
or any flavor you prefer. The corn will last to make 
five or six brewings; when it is exhausted, renew it. 
When the beer passes from the vinous to the ascetous 
fermentation, it can be corrected by adding a little 
more molasses and water. 
This is a simple, cheap beverage, costing about three 
cents a gallon. After the beer becomes ripe, it ought 
to be kept in a cool place, to prevent it from becoming 
sour before it is exhausted. B. Conecuh Co., Ala. 
Agricultural Machinery. —A Coeymans Farmer 
furnishes us with some remarks on the machines which 
he uses. He says : 
“ For a mower, I have one invented by Mr. Hallenbeck 
of Albany. Since trying and testing it for four seasons, 
and having seen others in operation, and especially having 
been an eye-witness at the great trial at Syracuse last sum¬ 
mer, I am fully satisfied with my choice. 
My grass being cut and hay made, I use one of Dede- 
rick’s Parallel Lever Hay presses, with -which I am well 
satisfied, and might write a long letter on its advantages. 
For thrashing, I use the “Excelsior” horsepower and 
thrasher. This I have had but two years, and am well 
pleased with it. 
In conclusion, I will only say that manufacturers are not 
as careful as they ought to be in the selection of materials, 
and the quality of the work. Many farmers still refuse to 
buy because they think manufacturers make too much 
. profit. This objection will gradually give way, if ma¬ 
chines only prove durable and well fitted in all their parts 
• to perform the work for which they are designed. 
