292 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Sept. 
Mo tea for l\)t 3®ont|r. 
Communications have been received since our last, 
from Agricola, F. Holbrook, Lewis Sanders, Observer, 
Sydney Sinclair, John Robinson, L. Durand, A Gleaner 
of Agricultural Knowledge, Dean, S. W., John Conant, 
A Young Farmer, An Observer, A. S. Copeman, A. 
Stevens. 
Acknowledgments. — u History of Chemical Inves¬ 
tigation of Maize, or Indian Corn,” by J. H. Salis¬ 
bury —a prize essay of the New-York Slate Agricultural 
Society—from the author. The “ Edinburgh Evening 
Courant,” containing a notice of the doings of the 
Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, at its 
last half-yearly meeting—from an unknown friend. 
Transactions of the New-York State Agricultural So¬ 
ciety for 1848, from B. P. Johnson, Esq., and C. Van 
Benthuysen, Esq. . 
Arrival of Prof. Johnston. —This gentleman ar¬ 
rived at Halifax, N. S., about the 10th of August. 
He is expected in Albany about the first of September, 
and will proceed to Syracuse in time for the delivery 
of the address at the State Fair. 
School of Applied Chemistry. —We would call 
particular attention to the advertisement of this school, 
which will be found in our present number. The insti¬ 
tution is under the direction of Professors Silliman 
and Norton —the latter having special charge of the 
agricultural department. Prof. Norton’s writings on 
agricultural subjects are very extensively known, and 
are highly approved by our best practical farmers. 
The.school has had many young farmers, as students, 
at former terms, and we have heard from them repeated 
expressions of gratification, in relation to the advantages 
of the instruction they had there received. It should be 
remembered that pupils can enter this school for a 
single term, or for several terms, just as they choose,— 
the school being open to all, whether students of the 
college or not. 
Devon Cattle. —In the article on Devon cattle, 
published in our April number, (current volume) we 
mentioned some of the breeders of this stock in this 
country. The name of Mr. E. P. Beck, of Sheldon. 
Wyoming county, N. Y., should have been included. 
He has been many years engaged in breeding this kind 
of stock, and has shown some of the best animals we 
have ever seen of the breed. The two fine Devon bulls 
which received the first and second premiums at the State 
Fair at Buffalo, were of his breeding. We spoke parti¬ 
cularly of these animals in our notes on the show’, pub¬ 
lished in the October number, last year. There are 
other breeders of Devon’s whose stock deserves notice, 
but for which we have not room at present. Mr. 
Cowles, of Farmington, Ct., it will be seen by his 
adveriisement, offers for sale several of his fine herd. 
|p By Mr. Bement’s advertisement, it will be seen 
that he is engaged in the preparation of various articles 
useful in household economy. We have tried his table 
salt, his ground rice, wheat grits, &c., and find them 
all first rate in their kind. His establishment is well 
worthy examination. 
Early Orleans Plum. —We are indebted to Mr. 
Kirtland, of the Cantonment Farm, Greenbush, for 
handsome samples of this fine early variety of plum. 
They were ripe the first week in August. 
Erratum. —In the article on Wood’s Plow, in our 
July number, a typographical error escaped our notice 
till too late to rectify it, in w r hich the cost of patterns 
was made incorrectly to read $15,000 instead of 
$1,500. 
Death of Friends of Agriculture. — Since our 
last number went to press, we have received intelli¬ 
gence of the demise of several individuals prominent 
among the promoters of agricultural improvement, and 
who w ill long be missed in the circles in which they 
moved. Among these, w r e have before us the names 
of Elias Phinney, Esq., of Lexington, Mass.,* Hon. 
Theodore Lyman, of Boston; Alexander Walsh, 
Esq., of Lansingburgh; Hon. E. Mack, of Ithaca; 
Dr. H. Gates, of St. Louis, Mo. 
Our readers will find an interesting sketch of Mr. 
Phinney, written by our able correspondent, Mr. Hol¬ 
brook, in this number. 
Mr. Lyman was an ardent and efficient friend of agri¬ 
culture and horticulture. He liberally endowed the 
“ Farm School for Boys,” at Westboro’, Mass., and 
gave the sum of $10,000 to the Massachusetts Horti¬ 
cultural Society, besides making other munificent dona¬ 
tions for similar purposes. 
Mr. Walsh was one of the early supporters of the 
New York State Agricultural Society; was for several 
years a constant attendant at its meetings, and rendered 
valuable services in advancing its interests. The reso¬ 
lutions passed by the Executive Board in reference to his 
death, will be found on another page. 
Mr. Mack was warmly devoted to the advancement 
of agriculture, in which he had for several years been 
practically engaged. 
Dr. Gates was formerly editor of the Iowa Farmers ’ 
Advocate , and since the discontinuance of that paper, 
was senior editor of the Valley Farmer , published at 
St. Louis. He was an able writer, and in his death, 
the agricultural press has sustained a loss. 
{(Cp 3 Since the above was in type, we have heard, 
with deep regret, of the death of Col. Edmund Kirby, 
of Brownsville, Jefferson county, N. Y. He died at 
Avon Springs, on the 20th of August. He had been 
attached to the army since 1812, and for many years 
had served in the capacity of Pay-Master. He was a 
volunteer aid of Gen. Taylor, in the late war with 
Mexico. But though a soldier by profession, he was 
ardently devoted to the improvement of agriculture, 
and the development of all the resources of his state 
and country. He had been an active officer of the 
New-York State Agricultural Society, and at the time 
of his death, was one of the Commissioners appointed 
for preparing a plan for an Agricultural School. 
Transactions of the New-York State Agricul¬ 
tural Society for 1848.—This volume contains an 
unusual amount of valuable information. It is consi¬ 
derably larger than any previously issued by the society, 
and comprises 975 pages. The principal increase of 
matter is in the form of essays and elaborate papers on 
various important subjects. Of this class w r e may 
mention the highly valuable essay on the 11 Analysis 
of Indian Corn,” by Mr. J. H. Salisbury, and the first 
portion of the “ Survey of Washington County,” by 
Dr. Fitch. These two papers form 400 pages of the 
volume. There are many other valuable articles in 
the work, from some of which we have already given 
copious extracts. We copy in this number, as will be 
seen, the statement of Mr. Foster in regard to his 
farm, which received the first premium of the society 
for last year. In future numbers we shall have occa¬ 
sion to make further drafts on the volume, more espe¬ 
cially in reference to the essay on Indian corn, which 
contains many useful facts not brought out by any pre¬ 
vious investigation. We are indebted to Mr. Johnson, 
the Secretary of the Society, and also to Mr. C. Van 
Benthuysen, for copies ol* the work. 
The Albany and Rensselaer Horticultural 
Society will hold its next exhibition at the Rooms of 
the New York State Agricultural Society, Albany, 
September 19th and 20th. 
