10 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
mand, we have not the slightest apprehension of ever be¬ 
ing compelled to complain of a withdrawal of their con¬ 
fidence or their patronage. We have been friends and 
co-laborers too long; we are too well acquainted with 
the wants and wishes of each other, of what is desired 
and expected;, to have the most distant fear on that score. 
We feel, that for the success of our labors, much, very 
much, is due to the many intelligent farmers and kind 
Mends who have been with us from the beginning, and 
made our journal the record of their experience, and the 
repository of agricultural facts. Names, new and old, 
now pouring in by thousands, and the masses of commu¬ 
nications from an increasing list of correspondents, 
prove, that amidst the crowd of competitors for public 
favor, and of co-laborers in the broad field open for the 
diffusion of agricultural knowledge, the Cultivator still 
retains its high place in the affections of the tiller of the 
soil. All are welcome, and we rejoice in the circula¬ 
tion of our journal, and feel grateful to all who promote 
it; because in that circulation, we think we see proof 
that agricultural inquiry is extending, and a brighter day 
beaming on the prospects of patient, but honest, untiring 
industry, in our land. We close these remarks by ex¬ 
pressing the hope *hat the friends and patrons of the 
Cultivator, will find our mutual intercourse for the com¬ 
ing year, as pleasant as that of the past, and wishing all 
readers a successful, prosperous, and happy New-Year. . 
MONTHLY NOTICES. 
$C^=> The public are here presented with our annual 
offering, the first number of a new volume. The 
change of form, the improved typographical execution, 
and the superior style of the illustrations, we doubt not 
will meet with general approbation. An examination 
of the contents of this number, and a comparison with 
preceding ones, will show that the intrinsic value of our 
work is in no way diminished, and we pledge our re¬ 
newed and unremitting exertions, to continue it worthy of 
the encouragement it has heretofore liberally received. 
To our friends whose influence has extended the cir¬ 
culation of the Cultivator, and to those, also, who by 
their pens haye contributed to its usefulness, we tender 
our sincere thanks, respectfully soliciting a continuance 
of their favors; and to all our patrons, we cordially ten¬ 
der the compliments of the season. 
We have great pleasure in announcing to the pat¬ 
rons of the Cultivator and Museum, that we have asso¬ 
ciated with us in the general management of these pa¬ 
pers, Mr. Sanford Howard, who for some years had 
charge of the “ Agricultural Department” of the Zanes¬ 
ville (Ohio) Gazette. A practical farmer from is youth 
—a close and accurate observer, intimately a<- /.tainted 
with the husbandry of the different sections of our coun¬ 
try—a good judge of farm stock, and familiar with all 
the best breeds among us, his connection with our paper 
can scarcely fail to add to its usefulness and to increase 
its claim to public favor. 
Our readers, we doubt not, will rejoice to see the 
commencement of a series of articles on the Culture of 
Fruit, in this number, whioh are to be continued through 
the year. They are from the pen of John J. Thomas, 
of the Macedon Nursery, than whom there are few per¬ 
sons in our country better qualified for the task he has 
undertaken. The series will embrace every variety of 
fruit, and will alone be worth the price of our paper. 
ACKNOWLEGMENTS- 
Communications have been received since our last, 
from Geo. Geddes, V., Samuel Akerly, H. S., G. B. S., 
H. S. Randall, Alpha, N. B. Cloud, Salt Point, H. T. C., 
J. J. Thomas, Elisha Thayer, Richmond, A. J. Down¬ 
ing, Young Farmer of Greene County, D. Tomlinson, 
H. L. G., A Farmer, W., D. T., C. T. Botts, A Daily 
Laborer, Thomas Affleck, J. S. Vaughan. 
We are indebted to P. L. Simmonds, foreign news- 
Siaper agent, London, for a copy of Johnson & Shaw’s 
Farmer's Almanac for 1844—(we shall be greatly obliged 
if Mr. S can forward us a copy of this Almanac for 1841) 
—also for copies of the Pictorial Times, Essex Standard, 
Sussex Agricultural Express, and other papers—for co¬ 
pies of “ The Legion of Liberty,” to J. R. Ames, Esq. 
—for copies of Mr. Johnson’s Address before the Onei¬ 
da Ag. Society; Prof. Richardson’s to the Ag. Society 
of Ohio and Brooke counties, Va.; Mr. Williamson’s 
to the Ag. Society of Fayette co., Tenn., to some un¬ 
known friends—to Col. J. W. Lincoln, for the Tran¬ 
sactions of the Worcester Co. Ag. Society for 1843—to T. 
Affleck, Esq. for the Concordia Intelligencer—to E. 
Cowles, Esq. for Conn. Courant—to J. J. Thomas, and 
some one else, for copies of the Wayne Standard. 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THIS NUMBER. 
^We think the Illustrations of this number greatly 
exceed any previous no. of our work. For the design 
for the head, we are indebted to our friend, J. J. Tho¬ 
mas, to whose beautiful drawing, our engraver, Mr. N. 
Orr, whose card will be found in this paper, has done 
justice. We have also to thank Mr. N. Orr, for the 
faithful manner in which he has transferred to the block, 
the beautiful drawings of the Cottage furnished us by T. 
M. Niven, Esq. architect, of Newburgh; and we take 
this occasion to commend him as a young artist who gives 
promise of attaining a high rank in his profession. The 
Cotton Plant was engraved by J. H. Hall, and the Bull 
and Sheep by J. W. Orr, both well known and superior 
engravers. 
GREAT YIELD OF BUTTER. 
Mr. George A. Mason, of Jordan, Onondaga county, 
received the first premium of the Nevv-York State Agri¬ 
cultural Society, at the exhibition at Rochester in Sep¬ 
tember last, for the best cow for dairy purposes. From 
the 7th June to the 6th July—30 days—there was made 
from the milk of this cow, 674 lbs. of butter. During 
the first 14 days of that time, 35 lbs. butter were made, 
averaging 2\ lbs. per day; and it is believed as great a 
ratio would have been given for the whole 30 days, had 
not the weather turned very unfavorable. The cow’s 
keeping, during this time, was 4 qts. wheat bran and 2 
qts. ground oil-cake daily, in addition to pasture feed. 
She was called a “ native,” but the gentleman who sold 
her to Mr. Mason informs us that she was got by a bull 
owned and imported by Captain Talcott, of Skaneateles. 
Will our friend Fuller of Skaneateles, give us the history 
of this bull ? 
REARING COLTS. 
A correspondent, “ V.” of Ashtabula county, O., says: 
“ I have been recently informed, by a person who has 
resided some time at the west, that in raising horses for 
the Santa Fe trade, and whenever great power of endur¬ 
ing hardship is required, a course very different from that 
pursued by Yankees, is adopted, viz: they feed to a colt 
the first winter some thirty bushels of oats; the second, 
twenty bushels; the third, ten; the fourth winter less 
still, or none at all. Which is the best course; that of 
our fathers, or the one just described ?” 
DISEASE OF THE POTATOE. 
We make the following extract from a private letter 
of David Thomas of Cayuga county :—“ I am inclining 
to the opinion that the new malady in the potatoe, is a 
fungus, converting the wholesome nutriment of that tu¬ 
ber into its own deleterious nature. Potatoes which are 
not rotten, but only clouded with brownish spots, give 
off a very offensive odor when boiled, which I believe 
no common potatoe, when rotting, ever does. The opin¬ 
ion is not entirely unsupported by analogy. The smut in 
wheat may be cited as one case; and perhaps the fungus 
that destroys the roots of the saffron crocus in England, 
as another.” 
POTATOES FROM SEED. 
Our correspondent, J. M. Harlan, Esq., gives the fol¬ 
lowing directions for raising potatoes from the seed,or ball. 
We can show some fine samples of potatoes raised in this 
way, that we haye just received from Massachusetts:— 
c< The pulp of the balls should be squeezed out as much as 
possible. They should then be dried and laid by till the 
following spring. The ground should be partially spa¬ 
ded, and well pulverized. I placed mine along the pales 
of the front part of the garden. The bugs are the great¬ 
est enemies of the young plants, and should be well 
watched. The potatoes will not come to their full size 
until the third or fourth year of planting. I had at least 
