THE CULTIVATOR. 
251 
quality of land in the State. In the vicinity of cities, 
Where the interest per acre would be from 7 to 14 dol¬ 
lars an acre or more, and where maaure might cost 50 
cents per load, the profits of soiling over pasturing, 
would of course be more than double. While on the 
rich and cheap lands of the western country, it would be 
a decided loss. It is obvious that to be successful, an 
abundance of straw litter will be needed; and in propor¬ 
tion as this is abundantly supplied, will be the amount of 
manure returned. 
The preceding hints are given with the hope that care¬ 
ful and well directed experiments may be undertaken. 
Thorough trial only can establish the advantages of the 
practice. Many throw aside a new thing at once, if full 
success does not attend the first effort. But a first effort 
in any of our common farm operations would be far less 
likely to succeed, than after years of experience. Expe¬ 
riments may be made upon a small scale , with little dan¬ 
ger of loss. 
Moveable Fence~Fig. 79. 
Hurdles, or moveable fences for confining animals to 
particular portions of ground, are necessary in many ca¬ 
ses, where soiling is extensively practiced; and the ope¬ 
ration of thus confining them, possesses in part, the advan¬ 
tages derived from soiling, no portion of the field being 
touched but that on which they are feeding, which is not 
left till all the herbage is consumed. The manure, being 
also thus limited to one spot, may be plowed under be¬ 
fore much loss is occasioned by evaporation. 
A mode of erecting this kind of fence, lately witnessed 
by the writer, at the residence of Charles Downing of 
Newburgh, is at once so neat, cheap and useful, that a 
figure and description may be of value to others. The 
fence consists of separate frames or “lengths,” one of 
which is shown by fig. 79, with a sharpened post at each 
end, A. A., driven into holes made in the ground by a 
crow-bar, and secured at the top by withing together, 
though the latter is not indispensible. These pieces are 
made of round poles or sticks split in two, the flat sides 
being placed next to the cross bars, which are fastened 
to them by wrought nails at the points of intersection. 
The points of the posts are driven into the ground to a 
depth of about fourteen to sixteen inches. 
These frames or lengths of fence, are four feet high 
and eight feet long—they cost, besides the material, two 
dollars and twenty-five cents per dozen in making, or 
thirty-seven cents a rod. The material would add about 
thirteen cents more, making half a dollar a rod, for the 
whole. 
Two men put up thirty rods of the fence, securing the 
tops by withes, in about three hours. J. J. Thomas. 
INSECTS INJURIOUS TO AGRICULTURE. 
Messrs. Editors —Permit me to call your attention, 
and also that of every American Farmer, to a work pub¬ 
lished in Massachusetts entitled “ A Treatise on some of 
the insects of New-England, which are injurious to vegeta¬ 
tion; by T. W. Harris, M. D.” Cambridge, Mass. 
3842. I obtained an early copy of this work, and have 
now had the advantage of two seasons for comparing the 
details of the book with such insects as have come with¬ 
in my reach: and I am authorized by this experience to 
say, that it has more than answered my expectations, al¬ 
most equalled my most sanguine hopes. So far, even 
here in Maryland , I have found no insect that could be em¬ 
braced in the object of the work or explained in the title, 
that was not fully described in that Treatise. When you 
recollect that the work only pretends to describe insects 
that prevail in New-England, you will admit that this is 
saying much for the work. It is a strange circumstance, 
but it appears to be a fact, that all insects of the class un¬ 
der notice, seem to proceed from the north-east to the 
west and south. Such was the point of departure, and 
such the course of the Hessian Fly, the Curculio, and I 
believe every other insect “injurious to vegetation.” 
We ha've not yet among us the Canker Worm, of which 
our north-eastern friends so much complain; nor the rose 
slug, nor some other depredators upon our luxuries and 
comforts. How long will it be before they shall arrive 
here l I am induced to offer you this brief paper In con¬ 
sequence of the discovery of the Spindle worm, in our 
corn, (called by Harris, the Gortyna Zea, of the family 
of Nonagrians,) now, so far as I know, for the first time 
seen here. Harris’s Treatise told me all about it, and I 
have published in our local papers, such a description and 
method of prevention, as I hope will arrest the evil. 
Baltimore, Md. 1844. Gideon B. Smith. 
INTRODUCTION OF SPANISH SHEEP. 
“ Honor to whom honor is due.” 
The man who “ makes two blades of grass grow where 
only one grew before,” is, proverbially, a public bene¬ 
factor—seeing that his example may benefit others, and 
stimulate millions to improve their mode of cultivating 
the soil. 
One of the contributors to the last volume of Transac¬ 
tions of the New-York State Agricultural Society, con¬ 
cludes his article by invoking some of his wealthy coun 
trymen to emulate the example of the late Patroon, by 
adding to our country some animal or crop that may pro¬ 
mote the welfare of the farming community. “Is any 
thing more needed to accomplish this object,” says the 
writer in urging the introduction of the Scottish Highland 
cattle—“ is any thing more needed to accomplish this 
object, than to stir up the spirit of patriotism which ex¬ 
ists among the wealthy land-holders of the Empire State,, 
by pointing to the noble example of the venerated Van 
Rensselaer ? Let those who would secure perpetu¬ 
al honor to their names, by conferring favors on their 
country, emulate his worthy deeds.” 
The spirit which influenced that writer, animates me 
in now directing public attention to another Benefactor 
of American Agriculture. I allude to David Humph¬ 
reys, a friend and companion of Washington—-the man 
who, by “ introducing the Merino breed of sheep from 
Spain into this country,” rendered to this Republic, ser¬ 
vices not less valuable than his efforts in the battle-field. 
Is not such a man worthy of enduring remembrance ? 
and yet how few are there who now remember the name 
of Humphreys in connexion with the benefits showered 
upon American Agriculture by the introduction of Span¬ 
ish sheep ? 
Examining the records of the “ Massachusetts Society 
for Promoting Agriculture,” I found a memento which 
should be published broadly now when public attention 
is aroused, as it was never before aroused, in reference to 
Sheep Husbandry. The grateful testimonial uttered to the 
merits of Col. Humphreys by the Massachusetts Society 
more than forty years ago, is now before me: And 
where is the man among us who will grudge the corner 
of a newspaper necessary for publishing the interesting 
fact, that on the 29th of October, in the year 1802, that 
ancient Society, which yet “ flourishes like a green bay 
tree,” unanimously voted— 
“ That a gold medal be presented to the Hon. David 
Humphreys for introducing the Merino breed of sheep 
from Spain into this country; and that the Rev. Dr. Par¬ 
ker be a committee to procure said medal, and to cause 
such inscriptions to be engraven as he shall judge suita¬ 
ble, and to transmit the same agreeably to said vote.” 
Thus endeth the first chapter. In the next, I may 
mention a few more facts on this subject, in connexion 
with the statements made by Col. Humphreys concern¬ 
ing the Merinos, when he introduced that breed into the 
western world. Rho. 
Agriculture is the most ancient, the most honorable 
and the most useful of arts. 
