1849. 
TILE CULTIVATOR. 
227 
Moticcs of Dfcto ^publications. 
European Life and Manners; in Familiar Let¬ 
ters to Friends. By Henry Colman, author of Eu¬ 
ropean Agriculture, and the Agriculture of France, 
Belgium, Holland and Switzerland. In two volumes. 
Published by Chas. C. Little and James Brown, 
Boston. 
The author of these volumes is extensively known to 
the American public through his various writings on 
agriculture, particularly his large and popular work en¬ 
titled “European Agriculture and Rural Economy.” The 
work before us may be said to constitute his personal nar¬ 
rative during his residence abroad. The letters were 
not originally designed for publication; but. appear in 
the present form at the solicitation of Mr. Colman’s 
friends, to whom they were all addressed. Mr. C. en¬ 
joyed peculiar facilities, from the society to which he 
was introduced in Europe, of making himself acquaint¬ 
ed with “ life and manners,” in all their phases, and a 
person of his habit of observation and faculty of deli¬ 
neation could not fail of making interesting and truth¬ 
ful sketches. That the descriptions are interesting , 
we can, for ourselves, affirm, having perused them with 
great satisfaction : and on the credibility of the witness, 
we have the fullest confidence in their truthfulness. We 
recommend the Letters as giving an insight into the con-* 
dition of European society and manners, not often to be 
obtained from books or even by personal observation. 
British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Re¬ 
view, or Quarterly Journal of Practical Medicine and 
Surgery. 
This variable foreign work, is re-published in New- 
York, by Messrs. G. &, R. S. Wood, and is afforded at 
three dollars a year. No person engaged in the prac¬ 
tice of the “ healing art ” should be without it. 
Plow, Loom and Anvil. —A prospectus for the se¬ 
cond volume of this periodical will be found in this 
number. The senior editor, J. S. Skinner, Esq., is to 
be sole conductor of the work for the present; his son, 
Mr. F. G. Skinner, having received the appointment 
of Collector of Agricultural Statistics, in the Home 
Department, has withdrawn from editorial charge of 
the P., L. & A. We presume the work will be contin¬ 
ued with no abatement of the interest and spirit which it 
has heretofore exhibited. Its present editor has been 
engaged in conducting agricultural journals for thirty 
years, and is well known throughout the whole coun¬ 
try. 
Eaton’s Agricultural Chemistry. 
Eds. Cultivator —Be pleased to allow me the use 
of an odd corner in The Cultivator , that, I may intro¬ 
duce to your readers a new work, which will be found 
to possess great practical value by those willing to 
examine it. Its title is “ A Text Book on Agricultu¬ 
ral Chemistry, for the use of Academies, Schools and 
Agriculturists: comprising that portion of elementary 
chemistry which is necessary to, a full understanding of 
the changes connected with vegetable organization, and 
an examination of the different manures, soils, crops, 
&c., compiled in part from the writings of Petzholdt, 
Johnston. Liebig, and others.” 
The author of this work, Mr. A. K. Eaton, is a 
graduate of Hamilton College, and by profession, a 
teacher. Since his graduation, he has devoted himself, 
with untiring industry and perseverance, to studies and 
pursuits in natural science, which have fitted him for 
successful authorship in his chosen department. He is 
not a mere theorizer; nor can it be justly said of his book, 
that it was “ edited by a pair of scissors.” Although 
following in the track of the eminent authors mention¬ 
ed in his title-page, he has received nothing upon trust, 
but has carefully subjected the principles laid down by 
them to the test of his own experiments. These expe¬ 
riments and principles he has set forth in language free 
from unexplained technicalities, and easy to be under¬ 
stood. The result is, a treatise eminently practical, 
and sufficiently extensive for ordinary purposes. It is 
published by H. H. Hawley & Co., of Utica. E. N. 
Answers to Comsponknts. 
Gypsum. —“A Farmer’s Boy,” Westchester coun¬ 
ty, N. Y. Gypsum is a compound of lime and sulphu¬ 
ric acid. Both lime and sulphur are taken up more or 
less, as constituent elements of plants. Of course they 
are “ soluble.” Gypsum may, no doubt, prevent the 
escape of gases arising from manure; ammonia, being 
an alkali, will combine with the acid of the gypsum, 
and is thus fixed. Get Prof. Norton’s edition of John¬ 
son's Catechism of Agriculture, which is to be had at 
most book-stores in New-York and Albany. 
Time *to set out Cedar Trees. —G. L. S., Ruth¬ 
erford county, N. C. Spring is considered the most fa¬ 
vorable season. If the trees are not too large, and the 
work is done carefully, they generally live. 
“ Ought suckers to be taken from Corn ?” We 
do not think this question has been fairly settled. Pro¬ 
bably much depends on the kind of corn. With our 
northern varieties, the suckers will frequently bear ears, 
especially if the main stalks are rather thin. But the 
southern corn seldom produces ears on the suckers, and 
hence it is argued that the suckers only draw nourish 
ment from the productive stalks. We would advise 
that you make an experiment bv cutting or pulling out 
the suckers in alternate rows through a field, and mea¬ 
sure the product separately. 
Grass Land.—S ee an article on this subject in this 
number. 
We have no knowledge of Robinson’s drying ma¬ 
chine,” farther than that given in our May No. In re¬ 
ference to the other inquiries of G. L. S., will give an 
article in our next. 
Agricultural Shows. 
New-York State Society. —At Syracuse, 12th, 
13th and 14th of September. 
Seneca County, N. Y.—At Ovid, 4th and 5th of 
October. 
Washington County, N. Y.—At Whitehall, 19th 
and 20th of September. 
Saratoga County, N. Y.—At Mechanicsville, 11th 
and 12th September. 
Rensselaer County, N. Y.—At Troy, 25th, 26th, 
and 27th September. 
Delaware County, N. Y.—At Delhi, 3d October. 
Jefferson County, N. Y.—At Watertown, 26th and 
27th of September. 
Worcester County, Mass. —At Worcester, 20th 
of September. 
Middlesex County, (Mass.)—At Concord, Oct. 3. 
New-Haven County (Ct.) Ag. and Hort. So¬ 
ciety. —Exhibition at New-Haven, 25th, 26th, and 
27 th._. 
Cranberries. —The Massachusetts Plowman states 
that cranberry meadows are much improved by cover¬ 
ing them with poor sand—the poorer the better—for if 
manure or good loam is applied, the growth of grass is 
encouraged and proves injurious to the cranberry. 
Sand maybe spread on in winter, in the spring, or soon 
after the cranberries are gathered. Flooding the ground 
in winter—the water to be on till May, is beneficial. 
