I OS 
THE CULTIVATOR, 
twi e to his horses, where he condescends to speak 
once to his men. Yet, strange to say, he boasts of the 
Cleverness of his horses, while he complains of the 
intractability of his men!! 
I know yet another farmer, a book farmer if you 
please, a new beginner, but an enthusiast in his calling. 
He soon found that he could do nothing by way of im¬ 
provement, without awakening in the mind of his head 
man, or factotum, an enthusiasm akin to his own. This 
man at first demurred to hauling swamp muck into the 
barn yard, lest it should spoil the manure. Now he has 
become an ardent student in vegetable economy, and in 
the philosophy of vegetable growth and nutrition, as it 
is taught in the agricultural papers of the day. Here is 
at least one laboring man, exalted from the character of 
a mercenary drudge, to be a respectable co-worker 
with the chemist in his laboratory, and on a grander 
cnn 1 p S W„ 
Waterloo, Feb. 7, 1846. 
REPORT ON FIELD CROPS, 
By the Committee of the Addison Co. Ag. Soeiety, Vt. 
Luther Tucker, Esq. — Sir: I send you a concise 
report of the Committee on Crops for this county, made 
at our annual meeting, Jan. 28, 1846. It is proper to 
remark that the drouth has been more severe in this 
county than was ever known in any previous year. 
Crops requiring a deep root have come in very light, at 
best, and many have entirely failed. It is estimated 
that the yield of hay is about two-thirds of an average 
crop. Corn, not more than half. Potatoes, half, with 
the exception of some few instances where the soil was 
more favorable in a dry year. Peas and buckwheat, 
one third. All the turnep crops have failed entirely, or 
so much so that no claims for premiums have been pre¬ 
sented. 
Wheat, both winter and spring varieties, and oats, 
have endured the drouth better than any other, espe¬ 
cially the Black Sea, which is a spring variety and very 
hardy. This wheat is a more sure crop with us than 
any other, and will do well on a great variety of differ¬ 
ent locations and soils without rust. 
Claims presented for Society’s premium marked with a 
star, were not received in season to entitle them to the 
same, according to the bye-laws. 
Winter Wheat, one acre. 
1. Rev. Dana Lamb, Bridport, 53^ bushels, $6. 
2. Jonas Hemingway, Bridport, 33^ bushels—$3. 
♦Alanson Pendleton, Whiting, 55 bushels. 
Average product of three acres, 45| bushels. 
Spring Wheat, one acre. 
1. Allen Smith, Addison, 51| bushels—$8. 
2. Stephen Holland, Panton, 33 bu. 16 lbs.—$5 
3. Jonas Hemingway, 33 bu.—$3. 
Dr. Wm. Bass, Middle bury, 311 bu. 
♦A. Smith, Addison, 50| bu. 
Average of the five acres, 40 bushels. 
Indian Corn, one acre. 
1. Jonas Hemingway, 98 bu.—$8. 
2. John Grovner, Bridport, 87 bu.—$6. 
3. Geo. Spencer, Panton, 62-| bu.—$4. 
♦Solomon Allen, Panton, 87-A bu. 
Average of the four acres, 84 bu. 
Oats, two acres. 
1. Reuben Sampson, Cornwall, 162 bu.—$4. 
2. Charles Howe, Bridport, 131 bu.—$2. 
Average of the four acres, 73 bu. 
Peas—one acre. 
1. John Grovner, 33f bu.—$3. 
2. Harris Bingham, Cornwall, 26| bu.—$1. 
♦Moses Hamilton, Bridport, 36 bu. 
Average of the three acres, 32 bu. 
Beans—half an acre. 
1. George Spener, 18-ibu.*$l, gratuity. 
Potatoes—one acre. 
1. James T. Lane, Cornwall, 385 bu.—$6. 
2. John Grovner, 275 bu.—$4. 
April 
* Harris Bingham, 370 bu. 
* Oliver Russell, Shoreham. 
Average, 343 bushels per acre. 
Sugar Beets—quarter acre. 
Rev. Dana Lamb, at the rate of 25 f tons per acre™-* 
gratuity, $1. 
Carrots , quarter of an acre. 
1. Job Lane, Cornwall, 415 bu.—$3. 
2. Q. C. Rich, Shoreham, 283 bu.—$2. 
Average per acre, 1396 bu. 
Mr. Lamb raises winter wheat after corn and pota¬ 
toes; sows in September three bushels of seed to the 
acre. Thinks thick sowing on good ground prevents 
lateral shoots from springing up, which do not often 
fill well, and prevents the main stalks from filling 
as well as they would if the whole ripened off at the 
same time. Lateral stalks are later in their growth, 
and do not ripen as early as the main ones. Mr. 
L. thinks his crop here reported has exhibited abun¬ 
dant proof of his views as here expressed; inasmuch 
as a part of his field was so dry at the time he sowed 
it that half the seed perished, and never came up. 
Here the lateral shoots sprung up, and ripened off 
several days later than the main branches; whereupon 
it was found that the yield upon this part of the field 
was much less than it was where all the heads grew on 
main stalks. 
Remarks by the Committee. —Mr. Lamb has here 
thrown out some valuable hints, and the committee 
cheerfully recommends experiments directed to this 
point. It is believed that lateral stalks in wheat do 
not usually fill with grain as well as the main stalk, on 
account of the pollen being shed from the latter before 
the former are forward enough to receive the best in¬ 
fluence from the farina or pollen which is scattered 
upon the heads and lost upon the laterals of imma¬ 
ture growth by those of the main stalk, so as to produce 
imperfect fertilization in both. It is probably so with 
all kinds of grain whose blossoms do not yield a suffi¬ 
cient quantity of honey to attract the notice of the 
honey-bee, and other insects, lovers of honey, so as to 
transmit the pollen on their legs from the male to the 
female blossoms, and thus produce pregnancy. It is a 
well known fact, that wheat standing very thin and 
scattered, though the heads are large and long, never 
fills well. Lateral stalks in all kinds of grain where 
the wind is the only agent to transmit and mingle the 
pollen, are more liable to fail in perfecting seed; but 
where honey is yielded in abundance, as in buckwheat, 
Lateral branches yield well when the season is fa¬ 
vorable. So with fruit trees and shrubs. The honey¬ 
bee, wasp, and other insects, (lovers of honey,) being 
attracted by the sweet nectar, perhaps inadvertantly, 
though providentially, transmit the pollen on their legs 
and bodies from the male to the female blossoms, thus 
supplying a deficiency in nature’s department, when the 
wind stands too long in one direction. It is believed 
this doctrine is well established among the growers of 
vegetables and fruits in green houses, where the wind 
and insects are excluded. It is found even, that there 
are some shrubs that never can yield fruit without the 
agency of insects, for instance the barberry. The 
blossom is so peculiarly constructed that the wind has 
no efficiency, hence the agency of insects as the only 
means by which the necessary stimulous can be con¬ 
veyed to the base of the filiament, so as to produce 
fructification, and ensure fruit. 
Allen Smith, Esq., raises spring wheat after corn, 
potatoes, or oats; plows in the fall; sows one and a 
half bushels of seed to the acre in the spring, without 
manure, and harrows well. Soil, black muck, clay sub¬ 
soil. 
The committee regret that the claimants for pre¬ 
miums on corn are not more definite in their specifica¬ 
tions. Thick planting answers only on strong land, 
rows north and south, wide enough for horse and culti¬ 
vator to pass, and take in the sun. This appears to be 
the practice of Messrs Hemingway, Allen, Pendleton, 
Grovner and Spencer. Dr. Bass, and others, at the same 
time, plant as near the other way as the strength of the 
land will warrant, and cut up before frost, and stock. 
