354 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
No Vo 
CRANBERRIES, 
DEMAND FOR AMERICAN PRODUCE. 
Abel Burnham, gives in the Massachusetts Plow¬ 
man an accoumt of the manner in which he has culti¬ 
vated a third of an acre of cranberries. He commenced 
in April last, on a piece of loamy soil that had been 
planted to corn the previous year. He took the vines 
from a swamp, and set them out between the old corn- 
hills, without plowing or harrowing. In some instances 
he cut up about six inches Square of the turf of the cran¬ 
berry bed for making each new hill, and in other in¬ 
stances he merely set a few vines; both, he says, did 
equally well. On the first of June, he went over the 
hills with a cultivator, making the ground smooth and 
light. He then hoed the plants, but used no manure at 
any time. The plants grew finely; about the 20th of 
July, they blossomed, and have this season produced a 
very good crop of fruit—some of the hills yielding a 
pint of berries each. At the date of the communication, 
(9th Oct.) he states the vines covered the whole ground. 
He sent a lot of the cranberries to the editor of the 
Plowman , who says they were the ‘'largest and hand¬ 
somest ” he had ever seen. The editor, in making an 
estimate of the quantity of fruit produced on an acre, 
says:— 
"One pint of berries on each hill, as far apart as 
bean hills, would give 125 bushels per acre.” 
We would by no means doubt the correctness of the 
Plowman's calculation, but should like to know how 
far " apart ” bean hills are ? 
We see by the reports of the Plymouth County (Mass.) 
Agricultural Society, that Mr. Abiezer Alger, of 
West Bridgewater, obtained a premium for a sample of 
cranberries from a crop of 296 bushels and 17 quarts, 
from two acres of ground. This crop appears to have 
been the produce of a bog meadow. Mr. Burnham’s 
experiment is the only one in regard to the cultivation 
of cranberries on dry land, of which we have learned 
the results. 
NOXIOUS INFLUENCE OF BRICK-YARDS. 
At a late meeting of the New-York Farmers’ Club, 
Dr. Underhill spoke of the influence of the gases of 
brick-yards, which he said he had for the last six years 
observed to be very injurious to fruits and vegetables. 
We take from the Tribune an abstract of Dr. U’s re¬ 
marks on the subject. 
" At the time when his attention was first directed to 
this subject, the following incident occurred to establish 
his opinion. A friend had observed that, immediately 
after a severe thunder-shower, all his vineyard appear¬ 
ed in a sickly condition, and no satisfactory reason could 
be assigned for the occurrence of the phenomenon, until 
the investigation had proceeded sometime, when Dr. U. 
discovered that the gases of a brick-yard in the vicinity 
had been blown over the vineyard, and produced the dis¬ 
astrous effect, turning the leaves to a dark, reddish brown 
color. These gases were stated by the Doctor to be 
more particularly injurious in the latter stage of the 
burning of the kiln, and derive their noxious property 
from the anthracite coal used, the proportion of which is, 
in the interior of the kiln, three pecks of hard coal to a 
thousand brick, and on the outside twelve bushels to the 
thousand. This he knew to be the oase in at least one 
brick-yard. If there is a light wind blowing, these 
gases will extend their deleterious influence for miles, 
the supply being kept up at the yards for hours. They 
are particularly detrimental to Newtown Pippins, the 
foliage of which is destroyed for miles. The leaves 
are turned completely over in many cases, and one side 
is turned to a different color, a reddish-brown, appear¬ 
ing as if touched by a vehement fire. By these gases 
trees are often rendered unable to furnish healthy sap 
for the proper sustenance of the fruit. Speaking of pip¬ 
pins, he mentioned that one of the finest orchards in the 
country, in the town of Cortlandt, Westchester Co., con¬ 
taining from 1000 to 1500 trees, was entirely ruined, 
principally by the gases from numbers of brick-yards in 
the immediate vicinity. This subject was referred to a 
Committee, to report to the Farmers’ Club. 
Extract from a letter received from Rev. H. Colman, 
to the Editor of the Cultivator, dated London, 18th Sep¬ 
tember last. In relation to the demand for American 
bread-stuffs in England, he says, 
“ There will be a quick demand for all the produce 
which is likely to come. The best informed and most 
judicious and sagacious men, are not without alarm for 
a very serious scarcity of food. The utter failure of the 
potato crop in Ireland is determined, and the conse¬ 
quences are frightful to contemplate. It is quite gen¬ 
eral here; but I hope that the alarm with regard to the 
disease among the turnips in the north, is premature. 
The crops of oats and barley are not large—wheat is 
more than an average crop; but there will be no sur¬ 
plus, and there is anticipated a very large demand for 
bread-stuffs upon the continent. 
"My 8th No. will, I suppose, soon be through the 
press, as the publishers have all the matter. In this I 
have treated fully, the subject of live stock. I have de¬ 
sired to avoid any improper partiality, and to place the 
subject in as fair and proper a light as possible. I shall 
leave now in a few days for the continent, and hope not 
to be unreasonably long before I send the 9th No.” 
INQUIRIES. 
Corn for Fodder. —J. H., (Guelph, C. W.) W'e 
prefer sowing or planting corn in drills, for fodder—the 
drills 2^ feet apart, and two bushels seed to the acre. 
The best kind of corn we have ever tried for this pur¬ 
pose is the "Chinese tree corn;” next to this the large 
sweet corn. When it is cut, it should lie on the ground 
as thin as possible, for a few days, in dry weather, and 
then may be bound in small bundles near the top and 
set in small shocks, where they should remain till tho¬ 
roughly cured. It should be cut when the top of the tassel 
begins to turn. Both the stalks and leaves are good 
food, if well managed, but the leaves are best. It is best 
to cut it with a machine before it is fed out. 
Centre-Draft Plow.—A Subscriber, (Easton, N. 
Y.,) Prouty and Mears’ centre-draft plow is designed 
for sod. Its "practical operation” is approved. The 
usual weight of No. 23, (for level furrows,) is 95 lbs., 
with wheel and cutter—that of the 5£, or self-sharpen, 
ing, (for angular furrows,) is 120 lbs. They are " suf. 
ficiently solid in construction to be serviceable on 
rough, stony or rocky land.” The cost here is $10| for 
the 23, and $13 for the 5^, with one extra point for 
each. The price of the points or shares, is 50cts. each. 
We are unacquainted with the "Corliss” plow. 
Waste from Lime-Kilns —A Subscriber. We 
should think the "mixture of lime, ashes and coal” 
you speak of, would be of use as manure, but a trial 
would best show to what crops and soils it is best adapt¬ 
ed. 
Stacks and Hay Barns. A Subscriber. We 
should prefer putting hay into stacks well made and 
thatched, to using what are called " Dutch barns,” or 
caps. The stacks, when well made, expose less sur¬ 
face to the weather, and they can always be erected on 
the spot where they are most wanted; but the caps ar© 
not so readily moved. 
Cheviot sheep. —Z. B. W., (Little-Falls.) We 
think that the mutton of the Cheviot sheep sells as high 
in the British markets as that of the South-Down. The 
wool answers for combing, and we think the fleeces 
average something more in weight than the South- 
Downs. 
Dorking Fowls. —J. H. C., (New-Albany, Ind.) 
We do not know any breeders of Dorkings near Louis¬ 
ville or Cincinnati. We would refer you to Mr. Bate- 
ham, of the (Columbus) Ohio Cultivator. The fowls 
could be had here, if desired. 
Soot, when applied to the roots of the common prim¬ 
rose and cowslip, has the effect of transmuting their 
complexion from their wonted pale yellow color to 
P that of a delicate pink. 
