84 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
The Gardener’s Eouse, Blithewood—(Fig. 31.] 
of the vast fund of information and interest contained in 
the 500 pages, embellished with more than a hundred ap¬ 
propriate and beautiful illustrations. 
If it were possible in any respect to improve the work, 
it would perhaps be in a more terse and vigorous style, 
and occasionally in a less studied and polished mode of 
expression. And to readers like us, educated between 
the plow-handles, it would be pleasant to have the vari¬ 
ous extracts in French, Spanish, Latin and Italian, ren¬ 
dered into English, the only language which, having once 
learned, we have not become somewhat rusty in. But 
these detract nothing from the merits of the work as an 
excellent treatise on Landscape Gardening, which, unlike 
many works on similar subjects, is strictly American in 
its character and adaptation; and for general utility it 
stands without a rival, and probably will continue to do 
so for many years to come.* 
STATISTICS OF GOOD AND BAD FARMING. 
We know of no better way of showing accurately, the 
importance of the diffusion of agricultural knowledge 
than by a comparison of the aggregate products of the 
land as they actually exist, with what they might probably 
be with improved cultivation. The following numbers 
exhibit the whole amount of each crop in the United States, 
according to the agricultural census a few years since 
which was by many supposed to be too low, from vari¬ 
ous omissions at the time it was taken, and certainly less 
than at present, from the increase of improved land and 
population: 
Buckwheat, 7 million bu. 
Corn,. 3S7 “ 
Potatoes,.. 113 « 
Hay,. 12 (( tons. 
The average product per acre would have been very 
interesting, could it have been derived accurately from 
facts; it is supposed to be not far from the following, ta¬ 
king the whole country and all seasons together: 
Wheat, 91 million bu. 
Oats,.. 130 u 
Barley, 5 “ 
Rye,,.. 19 <c 
Wheat, ... 12 bushels. 
Oats,.25 « 
Barley,.... 20 “ 
Rye,. 20 “ 
Buckwheat,... 15 bushels. 
Corn,. 20 « 
Potatoes,. 100 cc 
Hay,. 1 ton. 
With our best farmers, or with many which might be 
named, the whole of these crops taken together, would 
average about double these rates; some would more than 
be tripled, as for example, corn, instances being frequent 
where the general crop for the farm together, and for 
successive seasons, has exceeded eighty, and in some 
rare instances, one hundred bushels. These increased re¬ 
sults have been obtained by an improved course through¬ 
* We would respectfully suggest in the next edition, wh 'ch must be 
issued at no remote period, the introduction of the Black Maple as a 
very rich and handsome shade tree, and also of the Golden Ash, as one 
r>f peculiar character and beauty. Also, the quantity of water needed 
In a stream, to supply evaporation in summer from artificial lakes of 
pven extent. The note from the N. Y. Med. Repos, appears to con- 
iain some mistake, where the “ Montezuma estate. Jefferson, Cayuga 
County, N. Y.” is spoken of. There is no such place as Jefferson in 
the county. The large button wood alluded to, grew at Montezuma in 
the township of Mentz in that County. We do not mention these 
things to exhibit errors, for we know of scarcely any work of equal 
size, and embracing so much variety of matter, so free from mistakes. 
out, including systematic rotation, the best management 
of manures, the use of good implements, thorough under¬ 
draining, the selection of good animals, of the best vari¬ 
eties of grain, and general good management throughout. 
The spread of agricultural knowledge through periodi¬ 
cals, and in other ways, has mainly contributed to this 
excellent result. 
The total number of bushels of the above mentioned 
crops, raised in the United States, according to the cen¬ 
sus, is 764 millions. If these would average each one 
third of a dollar in value, the total product of these crops 
would be 253 million dollars. There is no doubt, there¬ 
fore, that if the best farming prevailed that this enor¬ 
mous amount would be doubled; and therefore that no 
less than 250 millions of dollars are lost to the counhy, 
from the want of a more thorough diffusion of agricultu¬ 
ral knowledge and a corresponding practice. It will be 
observed that the preceding sum scarcely includes one- 
half of the whole proceeds of farm labor, as cotton, su¬ 
gar, tobacco, and the products of domestic animals, are 
not included, all of which would be increased in a cor¬ 
responding ratio. 
It has been estimated, that all the money paid out by 
our State government in the shape of agricultural boun¬ 
ties, has been much more than returned to the State trea¬ 
sury in canal tolls on the resulting increased productions. 
It would be an interesting fact, could it be known, bow 
much the treasury has been enriched by the spread of ag¬ 
ricultural publications through the State within the last 
ten years—reckoning by hundreds of thousands would 
doubtless be exceedingly moderate. 
CHEESE MANUFACTURE IN HERKIMER CO. 
The Address of Col. A. Petrie, before the Herkimer 
County Ag. Society, is a sound, common sense article, 
evincing the good judgment and practical observation of 
its author. We give an extract in relation to the manu¬ 
facture of cheese, which from the facts it contains, is es¬ 
pecially worthy of preservation: 
Some farmers make less than 300 pounds of cheese 
per cow in a season, while others exceed 600. Perhaps 
some of this difference may be accounted for by the ine¬ 
quality of advantages; but I am assured by gentlemen in 
whose skill in the art we have the highest confidence, 
that there is a great difference in the product per cow, 
when all advantages are equal. One case I will men¬ 
tion : A gentleman who has for years made more than 
600 pounds per cow in a season, from a dairy of 25 cows, 
let out his dairy to a tenant, whose reputation as a com¬ 
mon cheese-maker, was of the highest order. He ob¬ 
served, that the tenant’s cheeses were smaller and lighter 
than they should be, and suspecting the cause, watched 
his mode of making them, and found it to be like that of 
nearly all the cheese makers in the country, by guess. 
The milk was tempered, and set, and the curd scalded 
without a thermometor, and less care was taken in other 
parts of the process than he was accustomed to. He at¬ 
tempted to teach the tenant, who was rather prejudiced 
against “ book farming”—reminded him of his reputation. 
The landlord, however, made a few cheeses himself, and 
the tenant looked on. These were found to be larger 
and heavier than the cheeses made by the tenant. The 
tenant then adopted the improved mode, and he could 
make as large a cheese as his friend. Both gentlemen 
now agree, that the improved mode increased the amount 
about 10 per cent. Now the tenant was evidently more 
than an ordinary cheese maker, for he would have made 
over five hundred pounds per cow during the season, but 
by the improved mode he made over six hundred.” 
Col. P. remarks that the average rate of cheese per 
cow in Herkimer county is supposed to be less than 350 
pounds per cow, and that as it is nearly all made by 
guess, it is fair to suppose that a careful, scientific mode 
of making would increase the amount at least 10 per cent; 
which would amount to over sixty-seven thousand dollars 
annually for that county. 
FinePork.— Mr. Daniel Briggs, of Hyde Park, Dutch¬ 
ess county, fattened six shoats, which at eight months 
old were killed and weighed 275 pounds each. 
