220 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
between cause and effect, in eaoh separate instance, 
that they must be scanned closely in order to obtain 
even an approximate knowledge of the result. A law¬ 
yer must learn fully, the case of his client, and a phy¬ 
sician must examine closely his patient, to know how to 
act, so a farmer should study his business to know how 
to direct his labors. 
A farmer should be well informed. Not only ac¬ 
quainted with the various modes of cultivation in his 
own vicinity, but as much as possible, with that of the 
different parts of his own country, and of all other 
countries. To do this, need not cost a great deal in 
this age of cheap reading. The multiplicity of publi¬ 
cations and periodicals adapted to his wants, so-cheap 
withal, renders him without excuse, if he is not con¬ 
stantly adding to his stock of information. In the 
c good time coming/ it will undoubtedly be necessary 
that the farmer not only be well informed, but educa¬ 
ted. 
It is also important that the farmer should have some 
knowledge of chemical science. He has to do with 
nature, and in her operations, from the reviving of ve¬ 
getable life in spring, to the ripening of the last fruits 
of autumn, chemical changes are constantly taking 
place. The elements of the soil enter into new com¬ 
binations in all that grows out of the earth. These 
elements and their combinations should be understood. 
If a soil is fertile or sterile, it should be known w T hy it 
is so. If a crop fails, it should be known what ingre¬ 
dients of soil were necessary to perfect it. The ‘whys 
and wherefores’ of all this are generally guessed at; if 
we guess right, well and good; if wrong, we must 
make the best of it. How much better is it to know, 
than to have unsatisfactory opinions of the relation be¬ 
tween cause and effect in the processes by which Na¬ 
ture accomplishes her purposes. Farming is a science, 
and a theoretical knowledge of chemistry is of great 
advantage in conducting its operations successfully. 
1 All honor to the toiling hand/ but more especially 
to him who discovers means to advance agricultural in¬ 
terests, or to increase agricultural knowledge. W. L. 
Eaton. East Weave , N. H., May, 1849. 
Driving Swine. 
Eds. Cultivator —An article in the February No. 
of The Cultivator , on “removing swine,” suggested 
the propriety of sending to you for publication, my me¬ 
thod of removing swine, on foot. 
Swine are, proverbially, a most untractable and con¬ 
trary animal; and are not a little akin to some bipeds 
of the human species in this respect, whom we must 
attempt to drive in an opposite direction, in order to 
get them where we would have them. 
When I'wish to drive a hog—if I wish to do it easi¬ 
ly, expeditiously, and with the greatest safety —(for I 
have often seen hogs dogged and beaten, in a most un¬ 
merciful and cruel manner, and ail to no purpose)—no 
matter how large they are, I tie a small rope around 
one of their hind legs, while they are eating, at their 
trough; and then let them jump: in a few moments 
they will be as manageable as an ox with a ring in his 
nose, and may be driven where we will. With a rope 
around his leg, a hog may be driven much sooner and 
with less effort, than a score of men, boys and dogs 
could drive him with all their whips and clubs. Sows 
with pig may be removed in this way, where the dis¬ 
tance is short; and thereby avoid all danger of injuring 
them in a contrary chase, of which there would he 
much danger, if they were not disposed to be driven 
quietly. 
This mode of operating would, without doubt, prove 
quite as efficient in driving any other animal, that was 
not accustomed to be led. Let it be tested. S. Ed- 
w’ds Todd. Lake Ridge, Tompkins Co., 1849, 
July, 
A Cultivator and 44 The Culivator.” 
Eds. Cultivator— A cultivator for the soil, is used 
with universal benefit. Some soils, however, will re¬ 
ceive more benefit from its frequent use than others. 
Light soils lose nearly as much, when used too fre¬ 
quently, in the escape of gases, as they gain from stir¬ 
ring the ground, killing the weeds, &cc. This loss 
might be avoided, by the addition of a small roller im¬ 
mediately behind the cultivator, and attached to it, to 
slightly press the surface, which will prevent any in¬ 
crease of evaporation—a source of more loss, particu¬ 
larly in light soils, than leaching. 
“ The Cultivator” for the mind, may be used with 
equal success. Should it cause, in some minds, a ten¬ 
dency towards a superabundance of theory, let the soil 
be rolled or pressed by a little bodily labor. Experi¬ 
ence will tighten up the surface, and prevent any loss 
except by leaching, which never can be increased by 
“ The Cultivator.” Stirring the soil is probably the 
principal benefit derived from the use of a cultivator; 
therefore, everything in the way of its frequent use 
should be removed if possible, that it may be applied 
oftener than the killing of weeds might require. 
All may observe, who will try the experiment, the 
difference in a field of corn, where a cultivator has been 
through one part four times, and another twice; but 
the difference is frequently attributed to some other 
cause, or accidental combination of causes; it being 
difficult to comprehend how the mere stirring the soil 
between the hills could change the colour and growth 
of the crop to such an extent. When we consider the 
attraction existing between the roots of plants and 
their nourishment, through the medium of innumerable 
spongioles, whose office is to search after, select and 
suck up such materials as are fitted for their use, we 
shall see that the loosening of the soi' facilitates their 
approach to particles of nourishment that would other¬ 
wise be unattainable, while the motion of the soil ad¬ 
mits more freely the approach of the attracted parti¬ 
cles. This may be illustrated by mixing fine steel 
filings with sand, spread upon a table, with a magnet 
in the midst, and stirring the mixture in any way, or 
jarring the table by striking on it, the steel filings will 
be seen to approach the magnet every time their re¬ 
pose is disturbed, while all other particles in the mix¬ 
ture will be as liable to recede as approach. 
There is something striking in the comparison be¬ 
tween a cultivator for the soil, and “ The Cultivator” 
for the mind; but there is a difference: while the one 
kills the weeds, and puts in motion the soil, thereby 
facilitating the approach of the roots and their nou¬ 
rishment, the other not only fills the place of idle 
speculations, puts the mind in motion, and while it 
facilitates the approach of nourishment from other sour¬ 
ces, actually furnishes some of the most essential in¬ 
gredients for the strongest growth. 
As the earth may be cultivated more successfully by the 
application of a properly cultivated mind, so the mind may 
be fertilized by contemplating the causes and effects of 
a well cultivated soil. “ To him that hath, shall be 
given,” is written by divine inspiration, and copied by 
Nature into every well cultivated field, as God’s truth. 
The soil that sends forth the most luxurious growth is 
assisted most with nourishment afforded by the atmos¬ 
phere. That every plant depends more or less upon 
the atmosphere for sustenance} is universally admitted. 
That most plants draw a large share of their support 
from it, is also evident, from the result of numerous 
experiments. As the greater growth of root extracts 
more from the soil, so the more luxuriant the leaf, the 
greater the capacity to draw from the atmosphere. 
When you add fertility to the soil, by manuring and by 
judicious cultivation, so as to increase the growth of 
