THE CULTIVATOR. 
269 
ficulty always experienced in distributing the small allow¬ 
ance usually given per acre, especially during winds, 
when from the lightness of the seeds, they are liable to 
De blow’n away.” Would not such a machine be ex¬ 
ceedingly useful in this country ? 
Experiment With Charcoal and Salt. —The Earl 
of Essex gives an account in the Agricultural Gazette, of 
an experiment made by him with charcoal, and charcoal 
combined with salt, applied to turnep-seed at the time 
of sowing. In the first case, the seed was mixed with 
twelve times its bulk of charcoal dust. In the second 
case, the seed was mixed with five times its weight of 
salt, and nine bulks of charcoal; and in the third case, 
the seed was put in alone. *The ground was very dry 
and parched, but the seed where the charcoal, and the 
charcoal and salt, was used, came up in five days. The 
plants where the clear charcoal was used, however, grew 
much the most rapidly—where nothing was used, the 
plants came up badly, and after they were up, did not 
grow near so fast as the others. The Earl also tried the 
same application of charcoal with the seed of the Belgi¬ 
an carrot, which vegetated several days sooner than car¬ 
rot seed usually does, even under favorable circumstances. 
He also sowed one row of turneps with double the quan¬ 
tity of salt above mentioned, which totally destroyed the 
seed. Nothing but the substances named were used, and 
the Earl thinks that the quick vegetation and rapid 
growth, was attributable to them. 
Trial of Plows. —In a late number of the Cultivator, 
we mentioned that Mr. Colman had presented to the 
Council of the Royal Ag. Society, two American plows 
—one of which was the Centre-Draught plow from 
Prouty and Mears, and the other the Eagle plow from 
Ruggles, Nourse and Mason. These plows were tried 
in connexion with several English plows at the late 
show at Southampton. In reference to the trial, the ed¬ 
itor of the Farmer’s Magazine says,—“The contrast be¬ 
tween the working of these trans-atlantic plows and the 
English ones was most striking, and was the most per¬ 
fect practical refutation to the self-congratulatory remarks 
of Daniel Webster, who, on his return from England, 
stated that he had not seen any implement in England 
worthy of comparison with those of America. We par¬ 
ticularly examined the work of these plows, and com¬ 
pared with the level and accurate furrows made by the 
English plow, which appeared as though cut out by a 
plane, were coarse, rough, and irregular. The work of 
the competing plows, with the two exceptions we have 
alluded to, was generally good, especially so, consider¬ 
ing the state of the soil.” 
We know not how much justness there may be in these 
remarks, but would suggest that our agricultural socie¬ 
ties test the two kinds of plows mentioned, as well as 
Others, with the best English ones. At. the late trial at 
Southampton, the first prize of £10 and a silver medal 
was awarded to Messrs. J. R. and A. Ransome. The 
same gentlemen also carried a prize for another plow 
calculated for turning furrows at an angle of 45 degrees. 
These Ransome plows have long been celebrated. In 
our Feb. No. (page 44) we spoke of one of them in pos¬ 
session of Mr. Noble, near Massillon, Ohio. We have 
witnessed the operation of that plow, and are certain 
that it is a very superior implement, both as regards the 
complete execution of the work, and its lightness of 
draught. 
Agricultural Chemistry Association. —We ac¬ 
knowledge the reception of a number of the Edinburgh 
Evening Courant, containing an account of the last meet¬ 
ing of the subscribers to this association. We had pre¬ 
pared an abstract of the doings of this meeting, but the 
necessity for its publication, seems to be superceded by 
the nature of the contents of Mr. Norton’s letter, which, 
it will be seen, furnishes a most interesting sketch of the 
progress which the Association is making, and the favor 
with which it is regarded by the practical farmers of 
Scotland. 
Guano. —It would appear from Lloyd’s List, that not 
fewer than one thousand ships have sailed from various 
ports in Great Britain for guano. Thus, no sooner does 
a new avenue for trade present itself, that it is instantly 
glutted. 
CATTLE SHOWS THIS SEASON. 
Neic-York. —State Fairat Poughkeepsie, Sept. 18,19— 
Dutchess Co. at Washington, Sept. 12, 13—Rensselaer, 
at Troy, Oct. 2, 3.—Chatauque, at Jamestown, Sept. 25, 
26—Onondaga, at Syracuse, Oct. 2, 3—Chemung, at Ha- 
vanna, Oct. 2, 3—Montgomery, at Fonda, Oct. 11, 12— 
Orange, at Goshen, Oct. 23—Columbia, at Hudson, Oct. 
1—Erie, at Buffalo, Sept. 25, 26—Genesee, at Baiavia, 
Sept. 25, 26—Cortland, at Homer, Oct. 2, 3—Ontario, at 
Canandaigua, Oct. 2, 3-Wayne, at Lyons, Oct. 28—Mon¬ 
roe, at Rochester, Oct. 8, 9—Orleans, at Albion, Oct. 3— 
Cayuga, at Auburn, Oct. 9, 10. 
American Institute —The annual Fair of the Insti¬ 
tute commences on the 7th, and closes on the 18th Octo¬ 
ber. The Silk Convention will be held on the 9th and 
10th. A Convention of Farmers and Gardeners is to be 
held on the 11th and 12th, to take such measures as may 
be deemed advisable to promote their interests, and par¬ 
ticularly to urge on 4 Congress the necessity of establish¬ 
ing a National Bureau or Board of Agriculture. All 
Ag. Societies are requested to send delegations to this 
convention. Plowing Match, Oct. 15. Exhibition of 
Cattle, &c. on the 16th and 17th. 
The Tompkins Co. Ag. Society hold their Fair at 
Ithaca on the 4th and 5th of Oct. Taking into view the 
intimate connection between the farmer and mechanic, 
this Society have offered a large number of premiums for 
the products of the workshop, such as carriages, carts, 
harness, saddles and bridles, chairs, axes, boots, shoes, 
barrels, pails, firkins, cabinet work, &c. &c. These pre¬ 
miums will interest the mechanics in the Fair, and can 
hardly fail to add materially to its interest. It would un¬ 
doubtedly be good policy for most of our Ag. Societies 
to adopt a similar course. 
Massachusetts —State Show at Worcester, Oct. 9, 10— 
Hampden, at Springfield, Oct. 16, 17—Middlesex, at 
Concord, Oct. 2. 
Vermont —Caledonia, at Danville, Oct. 3. 
South Carolina —State Show at Greenville, Sept. 11— 
Newberry, Sept. 25. 
Pennsyvlania —Philadelphia, Oct. 16, 17. 
Ohio —Hamilton, Sept. 19, 20--Coshocton, Oct. 25. 
Delaware —Newcastle, at Wilmington, Sept. 11, 12—* 
Address by that veteran in the cause of agriculture, J. S, 
Skinner, Esq. of Washington City, who we are grati 
fied to learn will be present at our State Fair. 
FARMERS’ CLUBS AND DISTRICT^SCHOOL LI 
BRARIES. 
The formation of Farmers’ Clubs, we consider one of 
the best means of eliciting and disseminating valuable 
information on agricultural subjects. They are becom¬ 
ing common in England and Scotland, and several have 
already been formed in this country. The meetings are 
held periodically—weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly, 
as suits the convenience of the members. Subjects of a 
practical nature are given out at these meetings, and each 
member gives his views in regard to them. Questions 
touching the relative value of different crops for differ¬ 
ent soils or locations—the relative profits of different ani¬ 
mals—the soil, and mode of cultivation best adapted to 
different crops, are here discussed, and the experience 
and practice of each one is made known. By a compa¬ 
rison of the theories and practices thus brought forward, 
those which are most consistent and reasonable, can hard 
ly fail of being perceived and adopted. An idea possess¬ 
ed by one, is made known to all—may be subjected to a 
practical test—if erroneous, it is shown to be so—if cor¬ 
rect, its usefulness is general. 
It seems to us that the District-School Libraries of this 
state, might form an excellent nucleus for Farmers’ 
Clubs. A portion of the books in these libraries ought 
to be such as would assist the farmer in the investigation 
of the principles, and the adoption of the best system of 
agriculture. The places where these books are kept, 
would be proper places for holding the meetings, and the 
contents of the books might frequently constitute topic? 
for discussion. We recommend these suggestions to th- 
attention of our readers. 
