1849 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
323 
Ita for trie JHontlj. 
Communications have been received since our last, 
from Wm. Jennison, Jas. R. Hammond, Darwin E. 
Gardner, S. Worden, W. L. Eaton, A Subscriber, Jo- 
siah W. Ware, M. W. Phillips, R. Watkins, Nathan 
Beckwith, John A. Porter, S. M. Norton, H. Watkins, 
W. R. S. 
H. K. C., Cherokee Nation.—We cannot furnish 
“ The Cultivator,” for 1848, singly, the numbers for 
that year, together with the engravings, plates. &c. 
having been all lost by the fire which destroyed our of" 
fice. We have succeeded in purchasing some vols. for 
that year, to complete sets of our work, so that we can 
furnish orders for all the back vols. All the vols., ex¬ 
cept the one for 1848, can be had singly. 
The American Fruit Culturist, containing di¬ 
rections for the Propagation and Culture of Fruit Trees 
in the Nursery, Orchard and Garden, with descriptions 
of the principal American and Foreign varieties, culti¬ 
vated in the United States. By John J. Thomas. Il¬ 
lustrated with three hundred accurate figures. Auburn: 
Derby, Miller & Co. 
We have received a copy of this work from the pub¬ 
lishers. Derby, Miller &. Co., Auburn, who have got 
it out in good style. It makes a handsome duodecimo 
of over 400 pages, and is sold at $1.00. The readers 
of “ The Cultivator,” who are familiar with the ’wri¬ 
tings of Mr. Thomas, on the subject of horticulture 
generally, will need no commendation from us, to induce 
them to procure it. We may, however, say that few 
men in our country have given more attention to the 
subject of Fruit in all its aspects, than Mr. Thomas. 
In the volume before us, we have the results of his ex¬ 
perience and observation, continued with untiring per¬ 
severance for many years, in language at once concise 
and perspicuous; and we cannot doubt but that it will 
be deemed a valuable acquisition to the literature of 
this branch of rural improvement. 
The Christiana Melon. —We are indebted to Hen¬ 
ry Vail, Esq., Mount Ida Farm, Troy, for some spe¬ 
cimens of a very fine melon of this name. It is of 
about a medium size, as compared with the nutmeg and 
citron varieties, rather egg-shaped ; skin thin, of a pale- 
green color; flesh thick, of a deep orange yellow, 
sweet, melting, and high flavored. It is decidedly the 
best yellow-fleshed melon we have ever seen, and scarce¬ 
ly inferior to the best of any kind. It is early, coming 
to perfection, as Mr. Vail informs us, two weeks be¬ 
fore any other good variety. 
Scientific School. —We have received a prospectus 
of an institution entitled “ Scientific School of Useful 
Knowledge,” located at Darien Centre, Genesee coun¬ 
ty, N. Y. The Institution embraces a male and fe¬ 
male department, each distinct and separate from the 
other. The department for boys has three divisions, 
called the Classical, Commercial and Agricultural. In 
the first, young men are fitted for college; in the se¬ 
cond they are taught the principles of trade, book keep¬ 
ing, &c.; in the third, agricultural chemistry, natural 
history, &c. The course of studies for females is ap¬ 
propriate and designed to embrace the term of three 
years. The Institution is under the charge of Rev. D. 
M. Smith, whose testimonials for so important a trust 
are numerous, and from high sources. 
The Homer Car.— We have mentioned in another 
place that there were twenty yoke of working oxen 
exhibited at the State Fair, from Homer, Cortland 
county. These oxen came on in one team, attached to 
a large car, of octagonal form, ornamented with 
wreaths of evergreens and flowers, and containing 
handsome specimens of fruits, vegetables, grains, &e. ; 
the produce of the town from which it came. It was 
surmounted by a flag, and made an imposing appear¬ 
ance as the noble team drew it to the field. 
Corn for Seed.— Corn for seed ought to be gathered 
in September. It should be selected in the field, as a 
much better opportunity is here afforded for obtaining 
the best, than if it is taken from the heap after it is 
husked. In the field we can see ali parts of the plant, 
and can judge whether it possesses the characters we 
desire to propagate. The most perfect ears should be 
chosen. They should be sufficiently early, and should 
be taken from stalks of moderate size—the ears rather 
low on the stalk. The ears designed for seed can be 
secured as soon as the grain is fairly glazed, by cutting 
the whole stalk, near the ground, and hanging it in 
some airy room or shed. The grain will be supported 
by the sap of the stalk and will fill as well as if it had 
remained in the field. 
Reaping Machines. —The Prairie Farmer says— 
“ McCormick’s Reaper has been now sold in the west 
for three seasons extensively, and somewhat before that. 
The sales amount, say, to the following figures: For 
the year 1847, to 500; the year 1848, to 800; and 
1849, to 1500; total. 2800. Of Easterly’s Harvester, 
the whole number in use this harvest may reach 180. 
Other kinds, say 100. These all do the work of nearly 
17,000 men.” 
Hilling Potatoes—the Rot. —Our potatoes are 
very free from the rot. It has been thought that the 
exemption is owing to the manner of hilling them,—so 
that the rain is turned off as much as possible, and the 
tubers not allowed to soak in wet weather. We for¬ 
merly made the hills like a basin to catch the rain; but 
now they are made in the shape of a cone. There may 
be something in it; for the ground was well manured, 
which I believe has generally proved unfavorable, 
[Extract from a correspondent,] 
Long-Wooled Sheep.— N. S. Townshend, in a 
communication to the Ohio Cultivator, states that the 
Leicester sheep do not consume a proportionate amount 
of food in proportion to their bulk—that being hardier 
and healthier, their flocks may be increased much 
faster—that besides the excellent quality of the mutton, 
he has weighed single animals of 300 pounds—and that 
a whole flock will average 6 lbs. of wool a piece, the 
rams often shearing 10 or 12 lbs., and that the wool 
sold this year at Elyria for 23 cents per pound. 
Peat Charcoal.- —The value of peat charcoal is 
attracting much attention in England, not only as a ma¬ 
nure or fertilizer of itself, but also as a deodoriser or 
disinfectant,. Mr. J. W. Rogers, of Dublin, has for 
some time been engaged with experiments of this sub¬ 
stance. When he first brought the matter before the 
public, in 1845, it was alleged that charcoal could not 
impart carbon to the roots of plants, as th8 leaf was 
supposed to be the only medium by which plants could 
absorb such food. He states that he has often tried the 
experiment, and that the result has invariably been that 
both the root and leaf took the carbon. He concludes, 
from his experiments, that peat charcoal possesses some 
valuable properties which wood charcoal does not, par¬ 
ticularly as a deodoriser. Its absorbent power is very 
great. Mr. Rogers states that it will take up and re¬ 
tain from 80 to 90 per cent, of water, and from 90 to 
100 volumes of noxious gases arising from animal ex¬ 
crement and other putrescent matter. 
Osage Orange. —The editor of the Valley Farmer 
thinks that this plant has not been sufficiently tried to 
justify the judicious farmer in the extensive cultivation 
of it. He thinks those farmers who are unwilling to 
