154 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
dissipated by the air. To make sure, however, we 
should prefer removing the sheep to a perfectly clean 
lot, after having applied the remedy, and would not let 
any go on the infected ground for some time. 
Refuse of Flax Mills. —P. B., (Homer, N. Y.)— 
This substance is not worth your attention as long as you 
can obtain stable manure at the price you mention—that 
is, 12|to25cts. per load. The flax refuse rots slowly 
■—on this account we have seen it put round fruit trees to 
keep the grass from growing-, and for this purpose is 
useful. 
Fistula, (not “ thistelo.”)—D. G. (Quaker Springs, 
N. Y.)—If the sore is so far advanced that matter is dis¬ 
charged, Mr. Youatt directs, (Treatise on the Horse, p. 
153, 163,) to insert a seton so that the whole of the mat¬ 
ter may run out, and continue to run out as fast as it is 
formed. He says, “the needle should enter at the top 
of the tumor, penetrate through its bottom and be brought 
out below the abscess.” Some recommend cleansing the 
sore after the insertion of the seton, with vitriolic solu¬ 
tions, but frequent fomentations with warm soap-suds, 
will probably answer, and as Mr. Youatt says, in the ear¬ 
lier stages of the abscess, will effect a cure. 
Whale Oil. —E. B. B., (Mystic, Ct.)—There is no 
doubt that the oil and “ filth” from whale ships would 
make good manure, if properly managed. A gentleman 
in this neighborhood, has used the blubber of seals to 
good advantage as manure. His mode of using it, which 
would probably do well also for whale oil, is to mix it 
largely with loam or street manure, and let it lie till a 
pretty thorough decomposition has taken place in the 
mass. It is recorded that the late Lord Somerville used 
whale oil at his farm in Surrey. It was mixed with sandy 
earth, and afterwards applied to crops, and is said to have 
produced great results. All animal oils are very powerful 
in their effect on vegetation, and it hence becomes neces¬ 
sary that they should be so incorporated with other sub¬ 
stances that they reach the plant in very small quantities 
only. 
Saw-dust—swamp-muck—old coal-pit bottoms— 
leached ashes, &c — J. A. B. (B. M. House, Md.)— 
Saw-dust is useful in breaking up the tenacity of clay 
soils. It may be spread and plowed in. When it has 
thoroughly decomposed, it appears to afford some food to 
plants. That made from hard wood, is thought best— 
though oak saw-dust sometimes contains considerable 
acid, and ashes, or lime, are recommended to be mixed 
with it on this account before it is used as manure. It 
makes good bedding for horses and cattle—absorbs the 
urine, and keeps the animals clean. Swamp-muck varies 
much in quality, but is generally more or less valuable 
for uplands. You had better try it. Put some on your 
wheat and rye lands next fall, and harrow in. Expose 
some of it to frosts next winter, and in spring put it on 
your corn land. Note the result in all cases—it may be 
its effects will be better the second year—it often is so. 
You may find out in this way, whether it is best for you 
to use it to any extent. The bottoms of coal-pits are use¬ 
ful to mix with stable manures, and to absorb urine—it 
prevents, to a considerable extent, the escape of ammo¬ 
nia, and it is a good top-dressing for moist grass lands. 
The effects of leached ashes, lime, plaster, and bones, on 
your soil, can best be determined by experiment. They 
may be tried on a small scale, so as not to run much risk, 
but with such care that the result may be taken as a 
guide. 
Carrots. —H. B, G., (Newtown, Ct.)—The seed may 
be sown with a machine. We noticed one in our last, 
page 106, (Seward’s) which we have no doubt may 
do well. There were formerly machines sold at the 
ware-houses in Boston at five dollars each, with which 
carrots, turneps, &c., could be sown better than they 
generally are by hand. From an acre, to two acres 
per day, according to the space between the rows, may 
be sown by one man with a good machine. Before sow¬ 
ing. the seed should be well dried and rubbed between 
the hands, or .in some other way, to take off the burrs and 
make it so smooth that it will not clog the machine. 
A light soil is considered preferable. About sixteen 
inches is considered the proper distance between the 
rows, and they are commonly thinned to two inches in 
the row. If the ground is quite moist, the seed is some¬ 
times sown on ridges, made by turning two furrows 
together by the plow. Two rows at the distance of 
three inches or so, are sometimes sown on a ridge, to 
make up for (he greater space which this mode allows 
between the alternate rows. The practice of sowing two 
rows together, as described, is sometimes, also, adopted 
in level cultivation, in order to give opportunity for the 
use of the harrow or cultivator, in working the crop. 
We have been informed that the seed is sometimes sown 
broadcast, and that very large crops have been obtained 
by this mode. The argument in favor of it is, that as 
the carrot makes but a small top, the roots will bear to 
stand very close, so as almost to cover the ground, and 
this can be effected more completely by the broad-cast, 
than by the drill mode. From experience we know 
nothing of the broad-cast mode—it appears probable it 
might have advantages over the others on soils not sub¬ 
ject to weeds, but where these prevail the additional la¬ 
bor required to clean the crop, might overbalance the 
extra yield. 
MR. PRENTICE’S SALE OF SHORT HORNS. 
We very cheerfully give place to the following com¬ 
munication, which has been sent us by one of the best 
judges and most distinguished breeders of cattle in our 
country, and one who can have no other interest in the 
sale than that which should actuate every individual who 
desires to promote the best interests of the farming com¬ 
munity. We doubted very much the propriety of the 
step taken by Mr. P. in offering his whole stock at pub¬ 
lic sale, without reservation, because such sales here¬ 
tofore have generally failed to excite that attention which 
they deserved, and because we feared he would not in 
this way realize any thing like fair prices for his valua¬ 
ble herd. Mr. Prentice has, however, offered such in¬ 
ducements for an attendance at his sale, as have never be¬ 
fore been offered, by pledging himself that his cattle 
shall be actually sold to the highest bidder, without any 
bye-bidding or reserve. That they will therefore be 
sold, and at such prices as the public are pleased to give, 
is a matter of certainty; and we should hope that this as¬ 
surance would inspire sufficient confidence to induce such 
an attendance at the sale as will prevent their being 
struck off at half their value. A list of the animals to be 
offered, together with their pedigrees, will be found in 
the advertising department of (his paper. 
Mr. Tucker —I observe in the last Cultivator, that Mr. 
Prentice of your city, has advertised his numerous herd 
of cattle for sale. The entire frankness and absence of 
all reservation whatever, with which they are offered, is 
not only characteristic of the man, but is a sufficient guar¬ 
antee to the public that a competition will here be offer¬ 
ed greater than ever before on this side the Atlantic, to 
possess some of the choicest specimens of this noble race 
of cattle. 
This step of Mr. P. at this time, has probably been 
maturely considered, and his reasons for thus offering 
them, are no doubt a sufficient justification for the bold¬ 
ness of thus inviting a public sale, when the spirit of im¬ 
proving our native herds has so long slumbered, and a re¬ 
newed energy is hardly yet awakened in our agricultural 
community. Still, it is to be hoped that public attention 
will be aroused by this decisive measure, and that our 
practical farmers, stock breeders, and retired country 
gentlemen, will avail themselves of an opportunity such 
as has never yet occurred, in the number and quality of 
animals offered, to renovate and improve the neat stock 
of their estates. 
After an experience of near thirty years that the Short 
Horns have been bred in the United States, it has been 
too well settled by an intelligent public opinion, that they 
are, individually in themselves, and as improved by the 
infusion of their blood with our native stock, an invalu¬ 
able acquisition to our country, to be now denied. It 
would therefore be the height of mortification that one 
who has made unwearied efforts, both in time and in ex¬ 
pense, and with motives far above all pecuniary conside- 
