282 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Sept. 
and was happy to extend to him, as well as to others 
whom I had the pleasure of visiting during the tour 
in which the reader has patiently accompanied me 
now nearly to the conclusion—a most cordial invitation 
to visit the Shows, the breeders and the farmers of 
New-York. I felt no misgivings in adding the assur¬ 
ance that they should receive in such visits an ample 
return of that hospitality and those kind attentions 
which they so cordially extend themselves. I hold it 
to be one benefit, (and by no means the least,) that we 
derive from our Annual Fairs, that they are the means 
of drawing together so many from different parts of 
each state, and of all the states, and of making the 
farmers and breeders from localities widely separated, 
personally known to each other. I think, indeed, that 
more attention should be given to this feature than i 3 
often the case; that some care should be taken to re¬ 
ceive strangers from a distance, and let them know 
that they are welcome, and make them known to others 
who are present; for I have universally found that a 
man has gone home with a better opinion of that Show 
in which he could enjoy an occasional shake of the 
hand and interchange of opinion and practice. Our 
western brethren sometimes give us at the east a les¬ 
son on this subject, although it would be unfair to 
draw a line of territorial discrimination, where so much 
depends upon individual management. But if those 
who have had interest enough in the wanderings this 
series of letters has chronicled, to follow them thus far, 
should ever meet any of the numerous hosts whose 
guest the writer for a longer or shorter time has been, 
let me here bespeak for them a greeting doubly hearty 
in view of the bright experience of which I can but 
feel how defective a record has been offered; and, for¬ 
getful of sectional lines, let us all unite to bear in 
mind, that our Agriculture—our animals and our crops, 
can everywhere be improved, and that each locality 
and section may perhaps have something to teach the 
re?> 
In coming homeward through Columbus I passed an 
hour or two most pleasantly at the office of Secretary 
Klippart, of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, at 
his fine apartments in the magnificent new State House. 
Every week since, I have been intending to acknow¬ 
ledge his very attentive kindness, and to notice the 
active exertions he has been and is now making in car¬ 
rying out the duties of his post. As soon as time shall 
permit, I hope to perform at least the latter part of this 
task. 
Ail Experiment in Dairying. 
An experiment was lately tried at the Munster 
Model Farm, in Ireland, for the purpose of determin¬ 
ing the quantity of roots which a cow could eat in cold 
weather (February,) also the quantity of milk yield¬ 
ed and its richness in butter. The following results 
were obtained: Each cow, on the average, consumed 
from 224 to 264 lbs. of roots (mangolds and ruta bagas 
mixed) per day, and gave about twelve quarts of milk. 
Of this milk eight and one-fifth quarts produced one lb. 
of butter. The cows were next fed on 100 lbs. of 
roots, five lbs. linseed cake, five lbs. bruised beans, 
five lbs. bruised oats and ten lbs. of hay for each cow; 
but the difference in the yield of milk was scarcely 
perceptible. Whether or not the milk was richer, when 
fed on the richer food is not stated. The inference 
drawn from this experiment by the person reporting it 
is, therefore, somewhat unreliable, especially as it is at 
variance with the results of the very careful experi¬ 
ments of Mr. HoRSFALn, republished in our State 
Transactions. The inference of the reporter referred 
to, is that it is not desirable (profitable ?) to give milch 
cows condensed and rich food, as oil cake, beans, &c. 
-+ 0 Q -- 
Culture of the Blackberry. 
Messrs. L. Tucker & Son —I wish to set out two or 
three acres of blackberry of the common field variety. 
I have canes of this year’s growth half an inch in di¬ 
ameter—six to seven feet high—very thrifty in appear¬ 
ance. Would you oblige me by answering the follow¬ 
ing questions as soon as you can in the Country Gent., 
viz. 1. What is the nearest distance I can set them 
without crowding too much ? 2. Would forest leaves 
two-thirds rotted, or tan-yard manure, be best to put 
about the roots when platting ? 3. May I venture to 
shorten the canes when I set them out, and to what 
length? 4. Would this year’s growth, or such as have 
borne the present year be best ? 5. When is the pro¬ 
per time for pruning, and to what length? 6 . If set 
out this fall can I expect a crop or part of one next 
summer? 7. Would it be any advantage to mulch 
with forest leaves or straw as a protection in winter ? 
8 . Which would be the best plan for setting in double 
rows thus, * * * * * two feet from out to out, 
then five or six feet to next two rows, and so on, or in 
single rows five or six feet apart? Henry Shade. 
Morning View post-office, Ky ., July , 1858. 
The wild blackberry, as taken promiscuously from 
the fields, varies considerably in size, and immensely 
in productiveness. If our correspondent intends to set 
out a plantation, and does not think best to procure the 
Dorchester or New-Rochelle, he should select the very 
best and most productive plant or plants he can find, 
and increase them to a plantation. We take it for 
granted that he intends to give the very best cultiva¬ 
tion, and keep the soil between the rows constantly 
clean,—the only true and economical way. With this 
view we answer his questions as follows: 
1. We would not plant nearer than six feet apart each 
way. G. Seymour & Co, the most successful cultiva¬ 
tors of the New-Rochelle, prefer six by eight feet, and 
to cultivate with a horse. We would not by any means 
set out large plants—should prefer small ones, only two 
or three feet high at the largest, as they live and 
flourish much the best. Those very large ones will not 
probably bear transplanting—use the suckers from 
them. 
2. We would not by any means put any manure 
about the roots when setting them out—but good, rich 
mellow earth. For a fertilizer, the manure and leaves 
mixed and rotted together, will be best—to be applied 
and worked in after the plants are growing. 
3. Canes should always be shortened when set out, 
to less than half their original height. 
4. Always the younger the better. 
5. When the young plants reach a height of four 
feet, pinch back the ends in summer, which causes 
them to throw out laterals and make better bearing 
plants. The side shoots are cut back in part the follow¬ 
ing spring, and will bear profusely. 
6 . Only a very slignt crop the first year, better the 
second, and very full the third. 
7. Yes. 
8 . In single rows, not less than six feet apart each 
way. 
