324 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
heap of ashes. This method of making manure with 
peat and fish, is infinitely better than the nauseous one 
of spreading them broadcast when first taken. Mr. Seely 
used peat in making compost heaps, a number of years 
before others would follow suit. He even offered to give 
the farmers some of his peat manure, to try and test its 
virtues, but the offer was not accepted. Now, however, 
a change of opinion has taken place, and we are all (or 
at least a number of us,) trying to manufacture, that we 
may cease to buy manure. 
I employ peat freely, spreading it over the barn-yard, 
throwing it into the hog pens, and mixing it with lime 
and potash and soil, and unleached ashes, green weeds, 
potatoe tops, sea-weed, &c. I have said that sand is an 
ingredient to manufacture manure. We who are on the 
sea-shore where sand is plenty, and where our soil is a 
stiff clay, find that sand alone aids in making it friable- 
In such soils a small portion in compost heaps is not 
amiss. Lime, or potash, or ashes, I believe if mixed 
with fresh dug peat, would absorb its acid, render it so¬ 
luble and fit for use as a manure in a few weeks. 
Mr. Cornelius McLean, a gentleman from New-York, 
has purchased the farm adjoining Mr. Seely, and is doing 
great things with muck, having found an abundant supply 
from a swamp which he has drained. He makes manure 
accordingly, and his crops show that they feel its effects, 
while his farm is rising from a state of neglect and ex¬ 
haustion, to beauty and fertility. Mr. Chas. E. Leve- 
ridge, his neighbor, is also exploring his low grounds, 
ditching and carting muck to the “ mixen.” 
About Princes Bay we find Mr. Joseph H. Seguine and 
others, digging out the muck from ponds and hollows, 
and even the mud and peat of the salt meadows to make 
compost heaps. Mr. Seaman, Mr. Chadwick, Mr. John 
Seguine, and Dr. Taylor, all in that vicinity, are using 
more or less of it. The latter gentleman has such an 
abundance that he neglects sea-weed, which his shore, 
furnishes plentifully. Mr. Frost, Mr. Flood and others 
on the Fresh Kills, have also dug out muck and are using 
it. It has even been employed by some on the island, 
without any preparation or mixture, except exposing it 
to the winter frosts in small heaps, which cause it to 
crumble into a fine mold. 
Thus we find that muck or peat is gradually coming 
into use, and the farming interest will be greatly promo¬ 
ted by the recommendation of the State Geologists, who 
have indicated many vast repositories of it in different 
places, but the small deposits must first be excavated, and 
in process of time, the larger ones be resorted to. 
Again, I repeat that the Geologists in exploring the 
State, have shown its immense resources, and the incal-' 
culable benefits to be derived to the arts from their la¬ 
bors. If these are not appreciated by party men, by 
mere politicians, they are, and will be, by all consider¬ 
ate persons, and by those who love our country and its 
republican institutions. Yours, with esteem, 
A Practical Farmer. 
Staten Island, Sept. 11, 1844. 
TO EXTRACT CHEAT FROM WHEAT. 
Messrs. Editors —As much difficulty is frequently ex¬ 
perienced in cleaning wheat from cheat, I offer the fol¬ 
lowing plan: Instead of having a riddle, as ordinarily 
used, in the fan, place a board in the riddle’s place; it 
may be an inch or two narrower than the riddle in width. 
By this means, the cheat is carried nearly off the screen 
board, and with the aid of a strong wind, is driven pret¬ 
ty effectually out at the second run of the grain. 
The present year I undertook to clean some Mediterra¬ 
nean wheat, which had a pretty large share of cheat in it. 
By the aid of the above plan, at thq second run, it was 
pronounced by an old and experienced farmer to be clean 
enough. I believe I might have run it five or six times 
the ordinary way, without having it as clean. Thus I 
saved much labor, as well as some time; though it must 
be let through slowly and regularly, to prevent the falling 
sheet of wheat from obstructing the passage of the cheat 
while blowing out, and falling through the fan sieve. 
This I accomplished by resting the half bushel on my 
shoulder, and letting the grain fall gently and gradually 
into the fan hopper, which was aided by the jar of the 
fan in motion. This last precaution may not be necessa¬ 
ry, where hoppers are new and properly constructed; but 
ours was old, and worn loose at the connecting points. 
Chester co., Pa., Aug. 1844. John M. Harlan. 
“ NEVER LOSE ANY THING—NEVER FORGET 
ANY THING.” 
A distinguished financier and citizen of this State, late¬ 
ly related an anecdote which occurred in early life, which 
he said afterwards proved of the greatest utility to him, 
and which may teach a valuable lesson to others. When* 
just commencing in life, he was deputed by an eminent 
man of business on an errand of considerable importance, 
and after receiving instructions at length, the business 
man handed him a paper or instrument, which he was to 
use in case of a certain contingency not likely to occur* 
“ Here,” said he to the young man, “ take this paper and 
hand it to-if you should see him, but you must not 
lose it.” 
“ Very well, I will try not to lose it.” 
“ But you musn't lose it.” 
“ Well, I’ll try, but as I may not need the paper, per¬ 
haps I had better not take it, for fear I might lose it.” 
“No!—lake the paper, but you MUST NOT LOSE 
IT!” 
He took the paper—and set out on his journey—but the 
idea that a fixed determination to accomplish the object, 
would certainly accomplish it, was new to him; the last 
emphatic words, “you MUST NOT lose it,” continual¬ 
ly re-echoed in his ears, and made such an indelible im¬ 
pression on his mind, that throughout a long subsequent 
life, he proved most effectually the practicability and em¬ 
inent utility of the injunction, as well as of its counter¬ 
part and almost its necessary consequence, “ never forget 
any thing,”—that is, in the transaction of active business. 
These two maxims, if thoroughly adopted and carried 
out by all our farmers, would work a revolution indeed 
in the appearance of many premises. Instead of tools 
lost in one place, and forgotten, neglected and spoiled 
from a year’s exposure in another, with the consequent 
Hoss of time in hunting, and loss of temper by delay and 
disappointment,—instead of these disasters, there would 
be “ a place for every thing and every thing in its place;” 
and confusion no longer usurp the throne of order, neat¬ 
ness and regularity. Whenever an implement is taken 
from its place for use, the words must be vividly impress¬ 
ed on the mind, “you must not lose it—you must not for¬ 
get it!” 
And who doubts the possibility of attaining this? Some 
persons forget, habitually, and lose, habitually; but if ha¬ 
bit has brought these evils upon them, then it may also 
remove them; or at least it might have prevented them, 
if an early determination to the contrary had been adopt¬ 
ed. Habit “ begins in cobwebs anti ends in chains,”— 
let it then have a right direction at the outset. Be deter¬ 
mined to do a thing, and you need not fear of success,— 
ultimately, if not now. The most perfect penman I ever 
knew, had a distorted and crippled hand—and the most 
accomplished Grecian orator, when young, was hump¬ 
backed, lop-shouldered, and had to talk with pebbles in 
his mouth to correct his mumbling voice. Sir Isaac New¬ 
ton said that whatever he had attained was by perseve¬ 
rance and close application, and not by any eminent pow¬ 
ers of mind which he possessed. Who then need des¬ 
pair? A Hearer. 
Blasting Rock. —Some time since it was stated in 
some newspaper that the electric battery was applied in 
igniting the powder in blasting rock, and this was much 
more safe and expeditious than the old plan. What is 
the modus opera,ndi ? for instance the size of the battery 
and the wire used for a conductor, &c. 
Morus Multicaulis. —It has been stated by some, that 
(he morus multicaulis is not adapted to the successful cul¬ 
tivation of the silk worm; that worms fed on it, are not 
so healthy as those fed on other varieties of the mulber¬ 
ry. Is it so ? What variety (from experience,) is now 
considered best ? 
Answers to the above inquiries, will confer a favor on 
one, and no doubt be interesting to many of your sub¬ 
scribers. Lexington , N. C. } Sept. 2, 1844. C. Mock* 
