April 
116 THE CULTIVATOR. 
L. Tucker, Esq. —The above cut represents a very- 
cheap and efficient stump machine, in use here, which 
consists of two pieces of hard timber, six inches square 
by two feet in length, firmly fastened at the top, with 
a strong band of iron; and cross-piece in the middle, in 
the shape of a three cornered drag, which is to be set 
astride the stump, with a strong chain fastened to the 
top of the machine, and to a root on the back side of 
the stump from the cattle. A common sized 18 feet 
chain will answer to hitch the cattle with. Two yoke 
of cattle will pull almost any common stump that has 
been cut from three to five years. It is not to be sup¬ 
posed that it will pull every pine or oak stump that it 
may be hitched to, but it is believed to be the cheapest 
and best kind for clearing old fields of stumps to be found. 
It would be well to have the lower ends as broad and 
fiat as convenient, to keep it from sinking in the ground. 
West Hill Creek, Pa., Feb. 3, 3846. G. N. 
EXPERIMENTS; SUGGESTIONS, AND QUESTIONS. 
Mr. Editor —It has been thought that the know¬ 
ledge which goes to constitute good and bad farmers, 
may in different ways be compared to the materials— 
such as timbers, boards, shingles, nails, &c.,—with 
which convenient and inconvenient houses are construct¬ 
ed. Some farmers with much knowledge, are good far¬ 
mers; while others, with much knowledge, are poor 
farmers, as they lack the ability to rightly apply their 
knowledge. Some houses, constructed of many mate¬ 
rials, are convenient; while others, consisting of as ma¬ 
ny materials, poorly put together, are inconvenient. 
The comparison also holds good between farmers with 
little knowledge, and houses constructed of few mate¬ 
rials. And, if in offering the following variety, some 
of your agricultural readers should be supplied with a 
needed timber, a board, or perchance a few shingles or 
nails, the time spent in furnishing them will not be 
spent in vain. Possibly some of the following observa¬ 
tions may tend to prevent a timber or a board being 
placed in a wrong position, or assist in clinching a 
hinge or a nail. 
In a former number of “ The Cultivator,” the idea 
has been advanced, that it is possible that substances 
hurtful to the growth of plants, may be taken up through 
their roots; and in another number salt is recommend¬ 
ed to be applied to the roots of plum trees. To corro¬ 
borate this first sentiment, and to prevent an overdose 
of salt being applied to fruit trees, the following case 
is stated as being well known to have happened in this 
place. A barrel containing brine was placed under a 
cherry tree, and either by leaking out or being spilt, a 
a part of the brine got down among the roots of the 
tree; and the consequence was, that the leaves withered 
some weeks before the usual time for leaves to wither, 
and the cherries were much smaller than usual, and so 
salt as not to be fit to be eaten. 
The relative fitness of large and small potatoes for 
seed appears to be a subject of doubt with many far¬ 
mers; and the same may be said with regard to whole 
potatoes, and those that are cut. This seems to be the 
case notwithstanding many experiments have been made 
to get at the truth of the subjeet. While the following 
experiment is stated with the hope that it may throw 
some light on a doubtful subject; it is also proper to 
observe, that in respect to the different modes of rear- 
ing potatoes, the statement that “ circumstances alter 
cases,” is very appropriately applied; especially, as 
some potatoes have more and larger tops than others; 
and as the tendency to grow large (whether the seed is 
large or small, cut or uncut,) is much stronger with 
some varieties, than it is with others. 
In 1835, the eyes (cut small) from three bushels and 
twenty quarts of potatoes were planted as an experi¬ 
ment with one bushel thirteen quarts of whole ones. 
They were planted in drills in the following manner. 
First, three rows with eyes, then a row with whole 
ones, and so on. The eyes were planted much nearer 
each other than the whole ones. In planting, hoeing, 
and in digging the crop, it required full double the 
work for a row with eyes, that was required for a row 
with whole ones; and while the four rows planted with 
whole potatoes yielded fourteen bushels, the twelve rows 
planted with eyes, yielded twenty-two bushels. It is 
not distinctly recollected by the writer, as to what va¬ 
riety was used for seed; but he believes that with re¬ 
spect to size, and the number of stalks to each, they 
nearly resembled the flesh color. 
From page 61 of the present volume of “the Cultiva¬ 
tor,” it appears “there is frequent complaint among 
farmers that their sons early imbibe a distaste for agri¬ 
culture—that as soon as they are of an age to be useful, 
they seek employment, and leave them to manage the 
homestead under the disadvantage of hired assistance.” 
Now Mr. Editor, while it is not my present intention 
to enter fully into the reasons why farmers are frequent¬ 
ly thus deprived of the assistance of their sons, I will 
hint at two or three of what are thought to be causes of 
such deprivation, by asking a few questions. There 
are young men in almost every part of the country, who 
show by their actions that they feel “above” earning 
an honest livelihood by the sweat of their brows; and 
while they are very willing to keep their hands and 
clothes from being soiled, and are very willing to re¬ 
ceive a full share of the farming produce, and of the 
attention of farmers, and of farmer's wives and daugh¬ 
ters; do they not receive more of these things, than the 
young men, who, with moderate desires, and industri¬ 
ous, frugal habits, have chosen the occupation of far¬ 
mers for themselves? Do not some families forget that 
“ it is a great error, that children may be left to run 
wild in every sort of street temptation,” until it is as 
difficult to make them like farming work, as it is to 
make a six year old colt or steer like it? Do not many 
farmers forget that when young men work but little, 
and “go to school ' 5 much until they are nearly grown 
up, the turn of their minds and the strength of their 
bodies are poorly adapted for the farming profession? 
Mr. Editor, my intention is to finish this communica¬ 
tion by asking a few questions of a different nature from 
those just asked. 
How did Philo Griswold,* of Yernon, Oneida Co., 
contrive to obtain 415 bushels and 13 lbs. of carrots 
from one fourth of an acre? How did E. Dayton,* of 
Vernon, manage to obtain 370 bushels and fifty pounds 
of potatoes from half an acre? How did C. W. Eels,* of 
Kirkland, manage to obtain 89 bushels and five pounds 
of Indian corn from one acre? Can George Vail,* of 
Troy, conveniently give a statement of the method he 
pursues to obtain very large crops of Indian corn? 
Will a plow fixed on wheels, like some of the Eng¬ 
lish plows, turn a more uniform furrow, as to depth and 
width; or will they hold easier than a plow without 
wheels? 
Supposing potatoes for seed to be wet and rolled in 
plaster, and to have a table spoonful of plaster put on 
each after being dropped in the hill or drill, is there a 
possibility or a probability that the crop of potatoes, 
while growing, could so imbibe the plaster as to make 
them unhealthy for food? 
How small an iron rod will suffice to protect a house 
or barn, 25 by 30 feet, from the bad effects of lightning. 
Sandlake, March 9, 1846. _ S. S. G. 
* We shall be pleased to receive replies from these gentlemen, 
to the questions of our correspondent.—E d. 
