74 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
the field by laying up the stone and covering it somewha 
like a brick-kiln,” and he wishes to know whether this 
plan of burning lime will answer, or what is the “most 
simple and expeditious manner of doing it.” We have 
seen lime burned by simply covering the piles of stones 
with such fuel as it was convenient to use and setting 
fire to it; but we do not know that this is the best way, 
not having had experience in the matter. 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
We have received a copy of the doings of the Execu¬ 
tive Committee of this Society, at their meeting on the 
15th of February; but from the lateness of the time at 
which they came to hand, we are unable to give them a 
place in this number. They contain a variety of inter¬ 
esting matter, which, had it been practicable, would 
have given us pleasure to have published. The Com¬ 
mittee have fitted up handsomely, for the use of the So¬ 
ciety, the east room of the Old State Hall—and at this 
place the Executive Committee will hold their regular 
meetings, on the second Thursday of each month. 
THE CULTIVATOR ALMANAC. 
We printed 30,000 copies of this Almanac, which were 
all disposed of i ng before New-Years; consequently 
we have been \inable to supply the numerous orders since 
received. Another year we shall endeavor to print 
enough to supply the demand. 
NATIVE STOCK. 
In our Jan. No. we spoke of the extraordinary pro¬ 
duct in butter, of a cow belonging to Mr. George A. Ma¬ 
son, which received the premium at Rochester last fall, 
and stated that we had been informed that she was got by 
an imported bull. We have since received a letter from 
Mr. Mason, in which he assures us that we were misin¬ 
formed, and that the pedigree of this cow cannot be tra¬ 
ced to any imported stock. 
MERINO SHEEP. 
“A Subscriber,” wishes some information in relation 
to the different varieties of the Merino sheep. He asks 
ts which has the heaviest fleece, the Escurial or the Pau- 
lar ? Which is the hardiest, &c. ?” 
In the work on sheep published in England, under the 
superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Use¬ 
ful Knowledge, it is said that “the Escurial breed is sup¬ 
posed to possess the finest wool. The Guadeloupe have 
the most perfect form. The Paulars bear much wool of 
a fine quality, but have a more evident enlargement be¬ 
hind the ears, and a greater degree of throatiness, ” he. 
As to the origin of these varieties, concerning which, in¬ 
quiry is made, we are in possession of nothing definite; 
they are only sub-varieties of the Merino or Spanish 
sheep, the origin of which is among themyster es of past 
ages. 
SPRING HARROWING WHEAT. 
“ I wish to sow clover where I have wheat; the land 
is low ground or alluvial. 1 want to know if it will 
hurt the wheat to harrow in the clover seed; (my neigh¬ 
bors say it will.) My harrow is hinged, with forty teeth. 
I think I have heard of harrowing wheat at the north in 
the spring, but have never seen it done here. 
C. Chalmers. 
Moore Co. N. C., Jan. 1844.” 
Where wheat has been partially killed out, or where 
the surface seems to be packed and close by the snows of 
winter, harrowing has been resorted to in some instances 
with success; indeed we have never known wheat in¬ 
jured by this pioeess. At the north, however, ive do not 
sprjng harrow wheat for the purpose of covering clover 
seed, as when sown early in the spring, clover rarely 
fails of germination and growth. Our practice is to sow 
it on the last light snows, if possible, as the seeds can be 
distributed more equally this way than in any other we 
have tried. The moisture furnished, by the snow, and 
the frosts that usually occur, prepare the seed for germi¬ 
nation and by their action on the surface, partially or ful¬ 
ly cover the most of them, rendering the harrow unne¬ 
cessary. We think our correspondent need apprehend no 
danger from its use; still as an experiment is easy, it may 
be better to test the result in that way 
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE IN TENNESSEE. 
Some of our readers may be aware that a very popular 
Agricultural School has been for sometime in operation 
near Nashville, Tennessee. Encouraged by the liberal 
patronage the school has received, the managers have 
concluded to enlarge their plan, and accordingly have 
procured from the Legislature a charter for an Agricul¬ 
tural College. For this institution, two teachers are now 
wanted. Single men, who might live in the institution, 
and devote their energies to the youth under their 
charge, would be preferred. “ One of the teachers 
should be capable of teaching the English, Latin and 
Greek languages, and if one could be found who also un¬ 
derstands French and German, he would be preferred—■ 
and the other should be capable of teaching mathematics, 
and if he were a chemist, so much the better.” In ad¬ 
dition to these qualifications, it is desired that the teach¬ 
ers should possess a taste for agriculture and horticul¬ 
ture, and have “confidence that agricultural education is 
the proper kind for youth.” A young man of gentleman 
ly deportment, who is a practical gardener and nursery - 
man, is also wanted. 
Further particulars may be learned, by addressing 
(post paid,) T. Fanning, Esq., editor of the Tennessee 
Agriculturist, Nashville, Tennessee. 
CHARCOAL FOR MANURE. 
We see this subject is lately receiving considerable at¬ 
tention. Mr. F. G. L. Beuhring, makes some inquiries 
of us in regard to the application of charcoal to wheat 
land—whether it should be reduced to powder, &c. We 
are unable to refer him to any particular experiments 
which will give the desired information. We have of 
ten seen used, the dust from ‘beds’ where charcoal has 
been made. This dust consists of fine bits of coal, 
mixed with the dirt with which the wood is covered 
while undergoing the process of charring. It is fre¬ 
quently used for corn, putting some, (say two or three 
quarts,) in each hill at the time of planting. It is also 
sometimes spread on grass land, and we have generally 
noticed, that its effects were very favorable. Crops are 
genereliy better, except perhaps for the first year or 
two, on the beds where coal-pits have been, for several 
years. We have also noticed the effect of smoke from 
coal-pits, on the surrounding earth—and have seen grass 
show increased luxuriance and greenness from that cause 
—the rankest growth being just where, from the course 
of the wind, the most smoke had struck the ground. 
Charcoal is recommended as a manure, because it is an 
absorbent of ammonia , and it is supposed that by spread¬ 
ing it on the soil it will absorb the ammonia from the at¬ 
mosphere and transmit it to the growing plants as they 
require. That it is an absorbent of ammonia, may be 
known from its taking away the effluvia from tainted 
meat or fish. So completely will it do this, that we have 
known meat that had considerably taken hurt, made good 
and free from any disagreeable taste or smell, by being 
repacked with charcoal between each layer. 
SPRING WHEAT. 
The Kennebec (Me.) Co. Ag. Soc. lately awarded a 
premium to Elias Gove & Son, for having raised last year 
374 bushels of red chaff spring w r heat on an acre of 
land. 
Gov. Hill states in the Monthly Visitor, that there were 
raised last year on an island in Winnipisseogee lake, 
“664 bushels of fine spring wheat to the acre”—the 
same land having given the year before, 137 bushels of 
shelled corn. 
DR. MITCHELL. 
Your correspondent “Richmond” notices with plea¬ 
sure, in the No. for November, 1843, the editorial re¬ 
marks on the “ Transactions of the first New-York Agri¬ 
cultural Society.” He agrees with you that some of its. 
members were “ in advance of the age.” He can give 
you some valuable information as to the agency of Dr. 
Mitchell In the formation and support of that Society 
if agreeable to the editors of the Cultivator. [W© 
should be glad to receive it.—E dtsJ 
