378 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Mote for \\)i 
Communications have been received since our last, 
from F. Holbrook, S. B. Halliday, Elisha Fuller, John 
VV. Proctor, A. G. Moody, R. R., A Young Farmer, T., 
H. C. W., W. C. W., L. Durand, F. S. C., J. H. W., 
A. Redfield, J. R. S., N. Longworth, W. S., I. Hil¬ 
dreth, A Subscriber, S. Spencer, S. B. Buckley. 
Books, Pamphlets, &c., have been received as fol¬ 
lows—Catalogue of Fruit Trees, &c., at Hopewell 
Nursery, near Fredericksburgh, Va., from H. R. Ro¬ 
bey, proprietor—The Autographieal Counterfeit De¬ 
tector, a Companion to the Bank Note Reporter, pub¬ 
lished by J. Thompson, 69 Wall-street. This contains 
fac-simile signatures of all the Presidents and Cashiers 
of Banks in the Union—price 25 cents. A copy of it 
is sent gratis to all subscribers to the Bank Note Re¬ 
porter, which is the best work of the kind which has 
come under our notice. 
We have received a communication reviewing the 
address of Hon. J. A. King, published in our October 
number. The main points objected to are, that 10 per 
cent, income on the agricultural capital of Queens 
county, is too high, and that the calculations by which 
this amount is shown, are erroneous. For instance, it 
is contended, that Mr. K’s “ estimate of four shillings 
(50 cts.) per bushel for potatoes, and $12.50 per ton 
for hay, may do for last year, and for Queens county, 
in its particular location; but half that sum would have 
to apply to most years and most sections of the country. 
That deduction alone, would reduce the estimated net 
income of Queens county, nearly one half. In addition 
to that, the estimate that the value of the straw was 
one half that of the grain, must have been four fold too 
high, even for Queens county.” It seems to us that 
the writer of the foregoing remarks loses sight of the 
fact that Mr. K’s estimates were for Queens county 
alone, with no reference to other sections. His object 
was to show the income from capital invested in agri¬ 
culture in a particular district, and hence the articles 
were estimated at their local value. The prices of 
potatoes, hay, and straw, are of course high, when 
compared with those obtained in districts remote from 
market; but for the neighborhood of New-York, we 
should not deem them over-rated. 
SCp^The paragraph in our last No., p. 341, attribut¬ 
ing certain “ stereotyped errors,” to the American 
Agriculturist, was probably, so far as the source of the 
errors was alluded to, wrong. Most likely the writer 
saw them in some stray article, erroneously credited to 
that journal. He would not, we are certain, intention¬ 
ally have misrepresented the matter. 
Transmutation. —If our correspondent at Johns¬ 
town, N. Y., who signs himself u A Subscriber ,’ 7 will 
show us “ heads of chess growing on wheat stems, with 
wheat blades,” as he alleges he has seen, we will ac¬ 
knowledge that he has made out a case of transmuta¬ 
tion. But it is this very statement that we utterly re¬ 
pudiate—disbelieve. We did not suppose that he meant 
to be understood in his former communication, (Oct. No., 
p. 318,) as asserting that chess actually grew on wheat 
stalks. If such is the case, the question is easily set¬ 
tled—only produce the wheat stalks with heads of chess 
growing on them, and all must admit the doctrine is 
proved conclusively. But so far as our knowledge ex¬ 
tends, and we have been engaged in examining the 
matter for about 20 years, no such thing has ever been 
produced, nor do we suppose it ever will be. That our 
correspondent honestly believes that, in the case to 
which he alluded, such was the fact, we do not doubt; 
but it must be remembered that it occurred (< many 
Dec. 
years since, when he was yet a boy.” He then receiv¬ 
ed an impression which has rested upon his mind till the 
present time; but we cannot take for “ a fact as clear 
as our existence,” the impressions of boyhood, especially 
when they contradict the well-known and established 
laws by which every grain, as we are assured by inspi¬ 
ration, is made to produce its like. “ Do men gather 
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles'?” 
National Board of Agriculture. —In another 
part of this number, will be found an article on this 
subject from the pen of our esteemed correspondent 
Hon. F. Holbrook, to which we invite particular at¬ 
tention. The establishment of such a Board, was con¬ 
templated by some of the founders of the General Gov¬ 
ernment, and we are not aware that any serious objec¬ 
tion has ever been made to the measure on constitutional 
grounds. We think there is every reason to believe 
that a Department of this character, properly conduct¬ 
ed, would be the means of advancing agriculture in a 
great degree, and of indirectly benefitting all the inter¬ 
ests of the country. In the statesman-like document 
to which we are happy to give publicity, the various 
arguments which bear on the subject are ably set forth. 
Indian Corn and Meal. —Indian corn will always 
be an important product of this country. A large pro¬ 
portion of the most fertile lands in the Mississippi valley 
are much better adapted to the production of this grain 
than any other, and the quantity which that region is 
capable of producing, is incalculable. The main part 
of the crop will, probably, for many years, as now, be 
converted into beef and pork; but with the improve¬ 
ments which have been made in drying the grain—par¬ 
ticularly by Stafford’s steam appara f us—we think there 
is a fair prospect that it may become a permanent arti¬ 
cle of export. Experience has now demonstrated the 
practicability of delivering grain and meal prepared by 
this mode, in good order, in any port in the world ; and 
as the crop is not grown in Britain, except to a very 
limited extent, nor in any part of Europe for extensive 
exportation, there is no reason why we may not supply 
the English markets with large quantities of the meal, 
when the people have found out its excellence as food 
for man and beast. 
We have before us a statement of the comparative 
amounts of Indian corn, which arrived at different points 
of tide water during a part of the years 1848 and 
1849. It appears that from the first of May to the 
22d of August, this year, there arrived at Albany 
3,643,708 bushels of corn, against 1,371,868 bushels 
of the previous year; that the exports from New-Or- 
leans to August 11th, this year, were 1,455,306 sacks, 
being an increase 244,105 sacks over the same period 
last year. We shall endeavor to furnish an exhibit of 
the amount sent out of the country for the two last 
years. 
Agriculture in New-Brunswick —Mr. J. H. 
Reid, of Fredericton, N. B., writes—“Our show came 
off on the 4th October, and was the best ever held in 
the province. Our grains astonished the Old-Country 
people—wheat weighing 68 lbs. per bushel, barley 59 
lbs., oats 45 lbs. Mr. Watts had a squash weighing 
177 lbs. The horse show was not good; the good 
cattle were in few hands; my sheep were the only good 
stock of that kind; the pigs made a good show; and 
there was a good exhibition of manufactures. We 
are steadily advancing in the good cause. I got a re¬ 
solution passed, ordering a copy of The Cultivator for 
every member of the Society. I am getting one ram 
and two ewes from Mr. Large, of Gloucestershire, 
England, the celebrated breeder of the Improved Cots- 
wolds, or New Oxfordshires. The ram cost .£60, and 
the ewes £10 each.” 
Broom Corn. —The Ohio Statesman says, that 
