1846. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
69 
cured from a man “by the name of Dutton near Phila¬ 
delphia,” but were brought from that section by S. A. 
Law, Esq., of Meredith, and received the name of Dut¬ 
ton potatoes, subsequently. 
Correction. —Cultivator for 1845, No. 337, in a de¬ 
scription of Bog-cutter, for “ forward beam of steel,” 
read sled. 
PrattSVille, in the county of Greene, which it is 
now purposed to make the centre of a new county, was 
founded by the Hon. Zadock Pratt, in 1824. The es¬ 
tablishment of a large tannery by that gentleman, and 
now carried on by him in connexion with John Wat¬ 
son, has been the cause of a rapid growth of the village, 
which now numbers two thousand inhabitants. It has 
three churches, three large and well-kept hotels, a bank 
with a capital of $100,000, seven stores, and a spacious 
brick academy which cost over $3,000, more than one 
half of which was contributed by Mr. Pratt. The tan¬ 
nery of Messrs. Pratt & Watson tans 60,000 sides of 
leather annually and employs a capital of about $250,000. 
The village also contains a large flouring mill, a foun¬ 
dry and mechanics shop, a satinett factory which turns 
out 150 yards of cloth per day, and a company has re¬ 
cently been formed for the manufacture of fancy cassi- 
meres, with a capital of $15,000. We are informed 
that the enterprising gentleman, by whose industry and 
liberality this thriving village has been chiefly built up 
and ornamented, made “his first savings from picking 
berries in his leisure hours, and selling them for six¬ 
pence per quart.” 
ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. 
Buckwheat as Manure. —“A Subscriber”—(Ver¬ 
non Centre.) As to the relative advantages of clover and 
buckwheat, for plowing in as manure, we can only say 
that from our own experience, (which has not however 
been great on this point,) we think the effect of clover 
best. Whether buckwheat sometimes “ leaves the land 
sour,” is a question on which there is a difference of 
opinion. We have heard persons contend that it did so 
leave the land, though we have never experienced it. 
Perhaps the nature of the soil may cause a variation in 
its effects. We have never tried plowing it in except 
on rather light warm soils. We suppose it would be 
best to plow it in after it had attained its full growth. 
Most farmers who practice it, we believe, turn it in 
while in blossom; but if it was considered an advantage 
to have the crop renewed, it might stand till the seed 
had formed, enough of which would probably come up 
after it was plowed in, to cover the ground again. 
Another correspondent asks whether the grain of 
buckwheat is injured by the honey being extracted from 
the flower. We cannot tell—who can? 
Plowing.—Highlander, (Otsego co.)—You say 
you want a “plow that will turn a furrow9 or 10 inches 
wide and 6 inches deep and lay it on the edge of the 
previous one, with the greatest ease to the team.” We 
think there are several kinds of plows that will answer 
the purpose desired—such as Prouty& Mears’ “5£ self- 
sharpening Centre Draft,” some of the various patterns of 
the Worcester plow, and Delano’s “ Diamond” plow. 
All these may be had at the Agricultural Warehouse, 
23 Dean street, this city. We do not consider “ 9 or 10 
inches” a wide furrow, though we think it is wide 
enough. 
Cow-pasture.— “ Will cow-pasture hold its own 
without manure of any kind?” We suppose it under¬ 
stood the the manure made by the cattle while feeding 
on the ground, is to be left there. Wliether the pasture 
would ‘hold its own,’ we think would depend much on 
the nature of the soil. If it was moist and natural to 
grass, it might not deteriorate; but in such land as the 
grass would be likely to die out, the pasture would of 
course decline in value. Besides, on moist soils, the 
manure is less wasted by exhalation, and its properties 
are more retained in the soil than on dry porous soils 
where the grasses could not flourish as well. As to the 
“ quantity and quality of milk” produced from old pas¬ 
tures, or from those recently seeded, as we think much 
depends on the soil, also; but in good grazing districts, 
we believe the opinion is generally prevalent that old 
pastures afford the richest milk, though it may be less 
in quantity. The quere in reference to lime or plaster, 
it is impossible to answer. In the absence of any de¬ 
scription of soil or location, it cannot be told which 
of these substances would be “ preferable,” or what 
quantity of either should be used. Experiment alone 
can give positive information on this point. 
Bone Dust, &c.— S. M. N. (New Marlboro, Mass.) 
—There is no bone dust in this market. The price of 
Sulphate of Magnesia is 2| cts. per lb. by the quantity. 
Silicate of Potash is not for sale here. 
Cream. —D. R. (Frederick co., Md.)—An experi¬ 
enced dairy-woman says she knows no reason why 
cream should “ turn blue on the surface,” unless it has 
stood too long, by which the cream settles to the bot¬ 
tom and the bluish watery fluid rises to the top. It is 
also suggested that it is best to keep cream but a short 
time, in summer—never till it is sour, if butter of the 
best quality is desired—and it is proper to stir the cream 
well every day, taking care when a new portion is 
turned in, to mix it thoroughly with the quantity before 
deposited. 
Blight in Fruit-Trees.— L. L. (Summit co., O.) 
We cannot tell what kind of blight attacks your trees. 
If it is caused by a species of aphis, we do not see that 
any good could be effected by “ putting iron around the 
tree.” If it is the “ fire blight,” we do not know that 
you could do better than to prune off the limbs as fast as 
they die. What effect “electric conductors,” placed 
under the trees, would have in protecting them from 
this blight, we know not-—we don’t suppose they would 
do any hurt. 
“Horse Nettle.”—E. W. J. (Fort Defiance, N. 
C.)—We do not know the plant you allude to under the 
name of “Horse nettle”—therefore can give no direc¬ 
tions as to its extirpation. Others may be able to give 
the information wanted. 
Cutting down hay-mows. —H. W. C. (La Fayette 
College, Pa.)—It is always best to expose hay as little 
as possible to the air, after it is cured; and by cutting 
down a part of the mow at a time, less surface is expos¬ 
ed than by throwing off the whole top. Butastothe pre¬ 
cise “ per cent saved” in this way, we have never seen 
it cyphered out—and the same may be said in regard to 
the loss by “ evaporation” in moving a stack of hay 
“ three miles in a still day.” 
Water Lime. —A. C. (Brandywine, Del.)—The best 
kind of water lime can be had in this city at a dollar 
and a half per bbl. 
“Family Almanac.” —A. L. (St. Joseph, Mich.) 
—We do not know that such a work has been published. 
Disease in Sheep.. —L. N. (Chautauque co., N. Y.) 
wishes to know the name and proper treatment of a dis¬ 
ease among his sheep, which he says affects them as 
follows:—“A sore commences on the end of the under 
lip, very small at first, but enlarges from day to day for 
four or five days, when the upper lip and end of the 
nose become sore in the same way, and after a few days 
the sore extends back, and the whole nose becomes sore 
to the corners of the mouth, continuing so for a week 
or ten days, when it begins to get well.” 
Glanders. —J. B. (Hartford, N. Y.) —We would re¬ 
fer you to Dr. George Wright, of this city, veterina¬ 
ry surgeon, for the information you want in reference 
to the disease of your horse. 
analysis of Indian Corn. —O. W. S. (Lee, N. Y.) 
—We do not know of any analysis of this plant that 
could be relied on. When Mr. John P. Norton returns 
to this country, which will be next season, he will 
probably analyze it accurately, and make known the re¬ 
sult. 
Sunflower seed and oil. — A. P. G.—The seed 
may be planted in rows four feet apart, and the plants 
thinned to two and a half feet apart, cutting to cure as 
