380 
Dec. 
T HE C U L TI V A T 0 R. 
that we received in exchange, the most of them that I 
planted, have done remarkably well. I have many 
rare plants worthy of note, but cannot now men¬ 
tion them. I think your journals must have a large 
circulation, for I received applications for seeds, by 
exchange or otherwise, from every State and Territory 
in the Union, and many from Canada. I also received 
seeds from each State and Territory in exchange for 
ours—some 400 different varieties—from which I se¬ 
lected for planting the past season, those I thought 
most worthy of trial and cultivation. I find it re¬ 
quires much care and labor. L. Norris. Windsor, 0. 
Plan of a House. —Our correspondent at Zilwaukie, 
Mich., sends us a plan for a dwelling, very neatly 
drawn, and which has some decided conveniences. 
There are also some serious defects; and, as it is “of¬ 
fered for criticism,” we may briefly mention that the 
only bed-room on the main floor is required to be en¬ 
tered through the dining-room, and all the water, slops, 
&e., carried out through it. In a small cottage, this 
would be of less consequence; but in this plan, where 
there are eleven rooms, besides entries and closets, and 
where there is expected and required a corresponding¬ 
ly commodious arrangement, it becomes a more formi¬ 
dable defect. Another is the location of the bath¬ 
room, which is in the extreme corner of the kitchen 
wing, entered only from the kitchen, and flanked by 
the pantry and store-room, and quite remote from the 
lower bed-room and all other apartments. A bath¬ 
room which is daily used, and generally in the morn¬ 
ing, should be easily accessible from the nursery or 
bed-room. Still another objection, is the position of 
the wood-house, with the bath-room and pantry be¬ 
tween it and the kitchen, but with apparently no other 
connection between them. 
as long as he sticks to that, and is desirous of having 
his recommendations thoroughly tested. He is only 
ridiculous when he attempts to theorize and ventures 
upon philosophy. Whether his “remedy” would every 
where prove as certain as it has during eight years’ 
trial with him, may not be “ sure it is very simple, 
however, and doubtless in many localities could be 
tried with the best results. It consists in inverting the 
soil as thoroughly as possible, bringing up the subsoil 
—even if this apparently “ buries all the rich old sur¬ 
face beneath cold red and yellow dirt;” manuring with 
fine barn-yard manure composted with refuse straw 
and hay, swamp muck and ashes, together with plas¬ 
ter of Paris ; having his land in good tilth ; thus “ loos¬ 
ening and pulverizing the ground to a depth of from 
twelve to eighteen inches, and permitting the roots to 
descend so deeply as to be secure from injury by flood, 
or drought, &c.” All this treatment he is aware is old 
and has been long practiced to advantage—with the 
exception of the inverting process, and herein lies his 
“discovery”—the protection against the disease, aris¬ 
ing from the fact that “ by the inverted method the 
tubers are secured from disease in the fresh and virgin 
soil on the surface, and the roots descend into the old 
rich, former surface, equally protected from excess of 
wet or drouth. Thus a vigorous growth is imparted to 
the whole plant, and an abundant and sound crop of 
potatoes has been the result in all my experiments by 
this process.” Mr. Spooner’s detailed experience and 
recommendations have been printed in pamphlet form, 
and we presume copies may be had by addressing him 
as above, although nothing is said as to price. He is 
desirous of taking that prize offered some time ago by 
the Mass. Legislature, a committee of which already 
has his claims under examination. 
ISF’Mr. E. Cornell’s recent purchases of S. P- 
Chapman, Esq , comprise Apricot, ($500,) Lady Booth, 
($510,) Bright Eyes 8ih, ($400) and Duke of Oxford 
($1,500.) We learn from Mr. Cornell that his herd 
now comprises about 20 females and 8 or 10 bulls. He 
began this year the system of letting his bulls, and 
has found it work very satisfactorily. The yearlings 
were let at from $30 to $40, and limited to 20 cows; 
two-year olds were let at about $100 each, and limited 
to 50 cows—the parties hiring at the expense of keep¬ 
ing. The bulls were returned in excellent order, and 
Mr. C. thinks that another year the prices obtained 
will be from 30 to 50 per cent, higher—so well do the 
farmers of Tompkins county like the result of this 
year’s experiment. The commencement thus made 
can but open the way to great improvement in the 
stock of that vicinity, and we are pleased to know that 
there is sufficient encouragement to justify the annual 
letting in future of the males from this Short-Horn 
herd. Mr. Cornell’s residence is at Ithaca. 
A Remedf “ Sure and Practical.” —One of those 
who have actually “ discovered” unfailing remedies 
lor the Potato Rot, is Mr. Alden Spooner of Fitch¬ 
burg, Mass. He repudiates bugs altogether—careful 
observation never having revealed a single insect that 
he could justly “ challenge as the aggressor.” The at¬ 
mosphere he says is miasmatic, and has poisoned the 
surface soil. “Certain subtile acid gases” have been 
imparted to the potato, and have communicated to it 
disease and decay. Seriously, however, Mr. S. is 
straightforward and practical in telling his experience 
-o© a - 
Fawkes’ Steam Plow in Illinois. 
We have deferred noticing the recent operations of 
this machine, hoping to have met with a fuller descrip¬ 
tion than has yet appeared. From the engraving in 
Emery’s Journal arid the article appended, we find 
that this Steam Plow has three wheels—two in front, 
used as guiders, and one, the driver, behind. They 
are all said to be about five feet in diameter—but the 
proportions of the cut do not represent them so large ; 
the first two are a foot wide, and the driver six feet, 
the latter thus presenting a large surface to the ground, 
and being in addition barrel-shaped to facilitate the 
turning of corners. It draws six plows, each cutting 
a furrow one foot wide—“ hung in a frame at the rear 
of the engine—each one independent of the other, and 
drawn by separate rods attached to the rear of the en- 
• gine. In order to keep the plows close to their work 
in uneven or irregular surfaces, strong coiled springs 
are placed on the suspending rods. With the ropes and 
pulleys, the whole gang of plows are instantly raised 
from the ground and let down again.” Glowing ac¬ 
counts are given of the successful operation of this 
machine at its trial during the Illinois State Fair at 
Centralia—although the soil was an “ almost impervi¬ 
ous ”, one, presenting a “ brick-like surface.” The in¬ 
ventor is Mr. J. W. Fawkes of Lancaster, Pa., and he 
is competing for the five thousand dollars offered by 
the Ill. State Ag. Society for a successful Steam Plow. 
If he has accomplished all that is claimed for him, we 
shall have occasion hereafter to chronicle his further 
triumphs and to accompany them with more particu¬ 
lars than we are now able to give. 
