292 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Sept. 
cause of the cf scorching ” is the same in both cases, 
that is, too much is applied in a place—bringing in con- 
tact with the plants a greater quantity of ammonical 
salts than they can digest. If he will first apply the 
urine to peat, charcoal dust, saw-dust, or any other 
absorbing substance, and then mix it with the soil, or 
use it as a thin top-dressing, he will find no cause of 
complaint. 
COCKROACHES KILLED BY CATS. 
A correspondent at Hartford Connecticut, with the 
signature L. B., informs us that his cats devour cock¬ 
roaches, and he thinks it probable that cats in general 
do the same, as he has never known those insects to be 
found in great numbers in houses where catswere kept. 
His attention was first called to this matter from his 
cats having vomited cockroaches. 
We doubt much whether the destructionof these dis¬ 
gusting insects is effected to any considerable extent by 
cats. That kittens, or young, inexperienced cats, some¬ 
times eat cockroaches, we have noticed; and we have 
generally observed, that they produce the same effect 
exhibited by L. B.’s cats—that is, the insects made 
them sick, and they vomited up their unnatural meat. 
But we have seldom known old cats touch cockroaches; 
on the contrary, we have, in one instance, at least, 
been annoyed by the insects when several cats that were 
about the house totally disregarded them. 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
Incentives to the Cultivation of the science 
of Geology; by S. S. Randall, Deputy Superintend¬ 
ent of Common Schools for the State of New-York, Ed¬ 
itor of the Common School Journal, &c. This is a 
work of 190 pages, designed chiefly as an incentive to 
the study of Geology, and is dedicated to the young of 
both sexes, of the State of New-York. From what we 
have examined, we think it most admirably calculated 
for its purpose. It is written in a clear and interesting 
style ; technical terms, which are often so discouraging 
to beginners, being purposely avoided, and the vast sub¬ 
ject to which it relates, is treated generally in a manner 
which cannot fail to be both attractive and instructive. 
Published by Greely & McElrath, Tribune Buildings, 
New-York. 
The Cultivation of American Grape-vines, and 
Making of Wine; by Alben Spooner. —A neat and 
useful manual of about 100 pages, the author of which 
is understood to have had considerable practical expe¬ 
rience in the culture of the vine, &c. It furnishes a 
brief history of the vine, a notice of foreign varieties 
in America, and a history of American vines, particu¬ 
larly the celebrated Isabella, Catawba and other fine va¬ 
rieties. It gives also plain directions for the culture 
and general management of the vine, for protection 
against insects, diseases, and for making various kinds of 
wine. Published by A. Spooner & Co., 57 Fulton st., 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 
Medico-Chirurgica.l Review. —We have before us 
the number of this excellent publication for July. This 
work is undoubtedly the ablest and most valuable peri¬ 
odical of its kind in the world. It is a quarterly, each 
number of which contains near 300 pages, closely print, 
ed original matter. The American edition is issued by 
R. & G. S. Wood, 261 Pearl street, New-York, at $5 
per annum in advance. We should suppose that the 
pleasure to be derived from its perusal, to say nothing of 
its undoubted utility, would be worth twice the price of 
subscription, to any practising physician, or to any oth- 
er person interested in a knowledge of the human sys¬ 
tem, or animal physiology in general. 
New-York Farmer and Mechanic. —This is a 
weekly publication devoted to the dissemination of in¬ 
telligence relating to agriculture, the mechanic arts, &c. 
If is under the editorial management of W. H. Starr, 
James M. Baker and E. P. Whitmore, —the first nam¬ 
ed gentleman being the publisher. Few papers in the 
country are calculated to be productive of more real 
good than this. It has been issued for nearly two years, 
and during that time has circulated a large amount of 
valuable matter. It has lately undergone several im¬ 
provements in typographical appearance, and not only for 
its good looks , but for its sterling worth is highly deser¬ 
ving encouragement. $2 a year in advance. 
Reports of the Officers of the Maine Insane 
Hospital. —We are indebted to Dr. James Bates, the 
superintendent of this institution, for a copy of the re¬ 
port in reference to its concerns for the year 1845. We 
are pleased to learn that the hospital is managed in a 
manner productive of very gratifying results to its phi¬ 
lanthropic founders and friends. 
PLANTING STRAWBERRIES. 
Mr. Editor.— I am about forming a <e strawberry 
patch,” on a scale somewhat extensive; and, to avoid 
disappointment, I should like to be directed in your 
September number, as to the manner in which the pis¬ 
tillate and staminate vines should be planted, so as to 
yield fruit in the greatest abundance. 
Respectfully yours, Ruralist. 
To secure productiveness in pistillate varieties, in the 
highest degree, it is usually considered advisable to in¬ 
termix about one-tenth of staminate plants. These may 
be differently disposed, according to the mode of culti¬ 
vation. If the plants are placed in beds, at equal dis¬ 
tances each way, as is usually practised in gardens, the 
staminate plants may be distributed as exhibited in the 
annexed figure, where the dots represent the bearing or 
pistillate plants, and the stars the staminate plants. Ac¬ 
cording to this mode, there is one staminate plant to 
eleven bearing ones; and being distributed very nearly 
in the true hexagonal form, each staminate plant is 
nearer to a greater number of bearing ones, than by any 
other mode of arrangement. 
• •••*.* ....*.*.... 
• *.*.*.*•••••*• 
*.*.*. * 
• * • • - # .*.*. 
*.*.*.* 
• *.*.* • • 
*.*.*.# 
• *.*.*. *•••••*• 
Where they are cultivated in rows, on a large scale, 
to admit the working of a horse among them, every 
tenth row may be staminate. 
It is not necessary that a barren staminate variety be 
used to impregnate the others. There are some fine 
sorts, which possess both stamens and pistils in abun¬ 
dance, which will not only fertilize themselves, but all 
others round them. Perhaps the best for this purpose 
is the large early Scarlet, a very early and productive 
variety, the fruit usually seven-eights of an inch in di¬ 
ameter, and of very fine flavor. 
DOMESTIC ECONOMY. 
OYSTERS OF GREEN CORN. 
A lady of whose skill in housewifery we have seen 
good evidence, has kindly furnished us the following 
directions for preparing a dish, which, she assures us, 
very much resembles fried oysters, in taste. 
“Grate 12 ears of sweet corn; take one-half a pint 
of milk to rinse out the cobs ; add six eggs, three table¬ 
spoonfuls of flour; and salt to the taste. Fry them on 
a buttered griddle, like pancakes. They should be 
fried slowly, and be thoroughly cooked.” 
Succotash —[not “ suckatash,” brother Beecher,] 
is a dish, which, as well as the name, according to 
Noah Webster, “ was borrowed from the native In- 
