206 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Mr. Tucker —I take the liberty of forwarding to you 
or insertion in the Cultivator a cut of a gate invented 
rnd patented by Mr. Anson Baker, of Western. This 
fate was first constructed by Mr. B. about a year ago, 
jince which time several of them have been used by 
iarniers in Western and the adjoining towns. The above 
jut (fig. 70) is a tolerably fair representation of the gate 
with one of the posts partially open. The construction 
Is simple, being in fact nothing more than two lengths 
of board fence placed on rollers in such manner as to 
©pen right and left with the application of very little 
force. These gates may be made of inch boards, either 
planed and painted neatly, or rough, like the common 
fence, at a trifling expense compared with the cost of 
almost any other gate now in use. The posts should be 
firmly and perpendicularly set, but they will retain their 
position far better than when the gate swings in the or¬ 
dinary way. The posts may be in one piece, with a 
tongue or piece sawed out even with the ground, or a 
batten may be placed on one side and fastened by pins or 
bolts through the post, one of which may pass through 
the roller. The rollers may be of wood or iron, but 
wooden rollers, which cost by the quantity from four to 
six cents for each gate, have been found quite durable, 
and answer a good purpose. The diameter of the roller 
should be such as to correspond with the size of the post, 
and the space between the boards be just the diameter of 
the roller, to prevent the gate from raising at the back 
end when weight happens to be applied to the other. 
When in its natural position it is self balancing, and al¬ 
ways in order. 
Mr. Baker claims for this gate several important ad¬ 
vantages, among which may be named cheapness of 
construction, costing no more than half the price of any 
other good gate; and convenience of opening, particu¬ 
larly in winter, as they are always in place, and do not 
have to be carried open by main strength, and are not 
troubled by snow. 
ECONOMICAL WAY OF MAKING MANURE, &c. 
■*—. SB 
Ml 
Self-shutting Gate — (Fig. 71.) 
Tivf cut (fig. 71) represents a self-shutting gate, very 
convenient for yards, gardens, &c.; answering, in fact, 
all pur poses where a small gate is wanted. The en 
graving will readily show its form, and enable any one to 
understand its principles. When opened, the inclination 
of the boards or slats on the rollers causes it at once to 
resume its proper position. 
It is proper to add, that the above named gates have 
been used by many of the best farmers in Western, 
among whom Mr. Baker refers to George Brayton, Esq., 
Hon. Arnon Comstock, David Utley, Esq., and others, 
who have had them in use, for evidence of their utility. 
Of the importance of having a gate which combines 
cheapness, convenience and durability, it is not necessary 
for me to speak, as these things are fully understood by 
all good farmers. If on trial this gate shall answer the 
expectation of its inventor, the public will not be slow 
to adopt it. E. Comstock. 
Rome , N. Y., June 6th > 1845. 
Luther Tucker, Esq _The writer, agreeably with 
his promise, will now give you the simple method by 
which, during the past winter, he collected a much 
larger quantity of manure than he has heretofore done; 
and which, his present crops are showing the advantage 
of. 
He will premise, by saying, that his stock were well 
fed, housed and bedded with leaves; and gave evident 
proof of the value of proper care. 
Immediately behind each row of dairy cows, is a wood 
gutter, 12 inches wide, 4 inches deep, and running the 
length of the stable, which receives the droppings from 
the cattle; and as the gutter is laid a little sloping, the 
liquor passes, and (with the use of a scraper) the dung 
is readily removed into a pit on the outside of the stable, 
which is thus kept clean. 
The pits are 2 feet deep at each end, and rather more 
in the centre, where an old oil cask, containing about 200 
gallons, is sunk into the ground, so that one-half the 
cask is below the bottom of the pit; here augur holes 
are made in the cask, by which the pits can be drained at 
pleasure. 
The pits are half filled with muck from the adjoining 
woods, (mostly old decayed leaves or vegetable mould,) 
and over it is spread a good coat of plaster: on this lay¬ 
er of muck, the gutters empty themselves. 
About once a week, a man occupies half an hour in 
leveling the heaps, and thoroughly soaking them with 
the liquor from the casks; at the same time sprinkling 
over a little plaster to prevent any offensive smell. 
As soon as the muck is sufficiently covered with ma¬ 
nure, a fresh layer is laid on, and in this way the pits 
are filled with alternate layers of muck and manure. 
There is no waste of liquor, as what is not absorbed 
by the heap passes through it to the bottom of the pit, 
and again into the cask. During the past winter, we had 
not only sufficient to saturate all the materials we had 
leisure to collect, but were able to haul out several hun¬ 
dred gallons to the grass lands. 
On the pits requiring emptying, their contents were 
compactly stacked where wanted for spring use, and on 
being opened contained a mass of rich manure, collected 
as you will see at a very trifling outlay; a few bushels of 
plaster being the only ingredient not furnished by the 
farm. 
The writer, at leisure, proposes giving you his plan 
for winter feeding—a subject to which he has directed 
his attention, with a view to economy in food—produ¬ 
cing good milk and butter; and the saving of cost in 
exchanging dry for fresh cows; at the same time he de¬ 
sires not to occupy your columns to the exclusion of more 
interesting matter. Woodside. 
N. B. Crops of Grass very short from the limited 
rain the last three months; cutting generally commenced 
round the city, (Balt.) The crops of broad-cast corn 
referred to in my last, although checked for want of 
moisture, now 18 inches high; the ground well covered, 
and the corn and oats in a fine healthy state. 
On 3 acres of ground, laid out in furrows (north and 
south) 3 feet apart and well manured, the writer has 
planted 2 rows of corn, with hills 2 feet 6 apart, giving 
115,808 hills to the acre: then 2 rows of potatoes, and so 
j j on alternately; there being 9 feet between each double 
row of corn; it is presumed it will have as much sun 
land air as though planted as usual, 4 feet by 4 feet (2,722 
hills to the acre) and that the opening of 9 feet will 
I prevent injury to the potatoes—both crops have been 
