1850. 
THE CULTIVATOR, 
281 
Mflto for fftr Monti;, 
Communications have been received, since our 
last, as follows: Prof. Norton, E. G., (written in 
German,) A. L. Bingham, Sylvanus, Warren Hut¬ 
chins, R. Watkins, T. Green, D. S. Curtis, D. 
Thomas, D. T., F. A. Wier, John W. Bailey, A. 
D. S., W. L. Eaton, A Constant Reader. 
Books, Pamphlets, &c., have been received, as 
follows: 
The Architecture of Country Houses; including Designs for Cotta¬ 
ges, Farm Houses and Villas, with Remarks on Interiors, Furni¬ 
ture, and the best modes of Warming and Ventilating. With 
Three Hundred and Twenty Illustrations. By A. J. Downing-, 
Author of Designs for “ Cottage Residences,” See. Sc c. New- 
York, D. Appleton Sc Co. Price $4. From the Author. 
Speech of Hon. J. A. King, in the II. of R , June 4, on the admis¬ 
sion of California. From the Author. 
Transactions of the Michigan State Ag. Society, with Reports of 
County Societies for 1S49. From J. C. Holmes, Sec’y. 
Transactions oftheN. Y. State Ag. Society.— 
This volume, comprising the doings of the Society for 
1849, is just issued. It contains 944 pages, and is su¬ 
perior in the quality of its matter to any volume which 
the Society has previously published. It contains the 
highly valuable and interesting lectures delivered in 
this city last winter, by Prof. Johnston, the prize essay 
by Prof. Norton, entitled “ Elements of Scientific 
Agriculture,” (which has also been published in a 
separate volume,) and which ought to be in the pos¬ 
session of every farmer in the country. The volume 
also contains the conclusion of the agricultural survey 
of Washington county, by Dr. Eitch, with several 
valuable papers communicated to the Society. Several 
engravings of prize animals, and choice fruits, and rep¬ 
resentations of the show grounds at Syracuse, are giv¬ 
en, which are generally executed in a superior style. 
Importation of Sh&rt-Horn Cattle. —Col. J. 
M. Sherwood, of Auburn, has imported a very fine 
heifer, now about two years old, and a bull calf 
eight months old, from the noted herd of Mr. Ste¬ 
phenson, of Durham, England. The animals ar¬ 
rived here about the first of July. They had evi¬ 
dently suffered from their long voyage, though they 
appeared in good health, and will probably recruit 
rapidly. We shall expect to see them, with some 
of Col. S.’s other fine animals, several of which 
were also from Mr. Stephenson’s herd, at the 
coming show of the State Ag. Society, at which 
time we presume they will be prepared to appear in 
their accustomed plight. 
French Merino Sheep.— Mr. A. L. Bingham, 
of Cornwall, Vermont, gives the weight of wool, 
unwashed, obtained the present season from 83 Me¬ 
rino sheep, of the “Taintor Stock,” together with 
the aggregate live weight of carcass of the same 
sheep, obtained after they were shorn. Twenty- 
seven of these are stated to have been only ten 
months old when shorn. The aggregate of eighty- 
three sheep, was 10,458 lbs., being an average 
of 126 lbs. each. Aggregate weight of wool ob¬ 
tained from the eighty-three sheep, was 1,494 lbs., 
or an average of 18 lbs. each fleece, and two and 
two-sevenths ounces of wool for each pound of car¬ 
cass. The growth of the fleeces is stated to have 
been just one year, with the exception of the lambs 
which were but ten months old. The ewes, it is 
stated, produce ‘ 1 three crops of lambs in two years.” 
Etrurian Wheat. —E. Cornell, Esq., of Itha¬ 
ca, informs us that he has raised this variety of 
wheat for the last five years, having obtained the 
first sample of it from Mr. Ellsworth, late Com¬ 
missioner of Patents. He considers it a very valu¬ 
able variety, being hardy, yielding well, and afford¬ 
ing a superior quality of flour. At one of the agri¬ 
cultural discussions in this city the past winter, 
Mr. Brewer, of Tompkins county, spoke favorably 
of this kind of wheat, stating that it weighed 64 
pounds to the bushel. 
The Season and Crops. —The month of April was 
remarkable for its coldness, and May was equally re¬ 
markable for its wetness, both circumstances conspiring 
to render crops generally backward. Planting, except 
in favorable locations, was much delayed, and in some 
instances the seed perished without vegetating. In 
this section there has been a liberal supply of moisture, 
but in the western part of the state, and in Ohio 
and Michigan, a severe drouth was experienced through 
the month of June. The growth of grass has been 
very luxuriant, except in situations where drouth pre¬ 
vailed, as just mentioned. Corn looks well, consider¬ 
ing the lateness of planting. 
Heavy Rains.— AVe have had several copious rains 
in this vicinity, which have considerably interfered with 
the process of hay-making; and on the 5th of July a 
storm occurred which occasioned considerable damage 
by flooding crops on the banks of streams, carrying 
away bridges, 8tc. Nearly three inches of water fell 
at this place, in the space of four hours. This storm 
was, however, comparatively limited in extent, espe¬ 
cially from north to south, in which direction its force 
was principally confined to a width of less than thirty 
miles. From west to east it extended two hundred 
miles. 
On the night of the 18th of July, and the forenoon 
19th, we were visited with a rain storm of great ex¬ 
tent. We hear of its effects as far south as Chesa¬ 
peake Bay and northward as far as lake Champlain. 
Its extent from west to east, we have not yet learned; 
though it was very severe in Central and Western 
New York, and reached eastward as far as Boston. 
Over all this territory the rain was very heavy, and to 
the southward, .from New York to Baltimore, it was 
accompanied with very severe wind, which occasioned 
considerable damage to shipping, and to buildings in 
cities, and in many instances, great injury to fruit and 
other trees. A letter from Mr. Thomas Hancock, 
of Burlington, N. J., dated July 19th says —“ We 
have had an awfful storm of wind and rain. It com¬ 
menced during yesterday afternoon, with the wind 
south, and soon changed to the north-east, and the rain 
fell in torrents through the night. The damage done 
to fruit-trees, and fruit is very great. Much of the 
green fruits shaken off, and many of the trees are 
blown dowm. I have eight large apple trees, and three 
large pear trees prostrated, besides many more being 
injured by being blown partly down. The damage to 
oats is great—they being beaten down as though a 
roller had passed over them.” 
A letter, dated July 20th, from Mr. John Johnston, 
near Geneva, N. Y. says—“ It has rained almost in¬ 
cessantly since the 18th, with high wind t.he greater 
part of the time. I have never seen such a rain-storm 
at this season of the year, in the twenty-nine years 
I have lived here. Crops of all kinds are prostrated 
and the damage will be immense.” 
The water in the Hudson at this place, rose to a 
greater height than it had been for two years previously 
—-completely submerging the islands and alluvial banks 
in the vicinity, and doing incalculable damage to crops 
of vegetables cultivated for market, and ruining the 
hay crops on all low lands. We understand the 
damage to grass, broomcorn, and crops, along the 
Mohawk flats, and other large streams, is beyond es¬ 
timation. Such a flood in the month of July, has seldom, 
if ever, happened before in this region. 
