THE CULTIVATOR. 
217 
was forty years ago, by which it is seen that within that j 
time many improvements have taken place at the south, 
though, as is remarked, there is probably room for 1 
greater advancement. The great improvement in (he s 
construction of the plow is spoken of, and a pretty con¬ 
fident hope expressed that the day will come when that 
implement “will be seen to pass and repass through our 
fields propelled by steam.” 
Large Egg. —Mr. Jesse Buel has left at this office a 
hen’s egg which measures six inches in circumference 
one way anil seven and a half inches the other way. Has 
any body's hen laid a bigger one? 
Gapes in Chickens _J. H. D. Lownes writes in the 
Southern Planter as follows:—“My residence was pro¬ 
verbial for gapes, but by mixing the dough with cham¬ 
ber!}’e and baking the bread, it is banished. A tea-spoon 
full of urine given to a chick in the first stage of the 
gapes, will cure it; but begin with it, and they will never 
have it, with good care.” 
Advertisements. —The reader is referred to our ad- 
vertising department for an interesting statement from j 
Mr. Bommer in relation to his patent method of making 
manure.—If any of our farmers are disposed to remove 
to Virginia, they will find a favorable opporiunity for 
the purchase of farms, by noticing the advertisement of 
Mr. Gouverneur, who, it will be seen, offers for sale a 
portion of the estate of the late President Monroe. 
Potatoe Rot.— Some person has sent us a number of 
the Honesdale (Pa.) Democrat , containing an article on 
this subject signed “Chemico.” In regard to the pota¬ 
toe rot, he says—“Be kind enough to inform them [the 
farmers] that it is caused by a want of the alkalies.” * * * 
“Please tell them if they would save their potatoes, and 
raise larger crops, they must supply lime,” &c. He 
closes by advising farmers who read his article, to—“in¬ 
form their neighbors of it, and let us hear no more of 
injury sustained from rot in the potatoe”! Many of our 
readers will doubtless recollect that we have recorded 
several instances where lime had been used, in various 
ways, without any effect to preserve the potatoe. 
Centre Draft Plow. —We see it stated in the papers 
that Mr. John Mears, jr., attached to the house of David 
Prouly & Co., Boston, sent one of the best patterns of 
Prouty & Mears’ “ Boston Centre Draft Plow” to the 
Emperor Nicholas, of Russia. About a year has elapsed, 
and a day or two since Mr. M. was gratified by the re-1 
ceplion of a note from his Excellency, M. Bodisco, the | 
Russian Ambassador at Washington, informing him that 
his plow has been received, and its usefulness acknow¬ 
ledged, and that his imperial majesty, apprreiating his 
intentions, had ordered him to present to him “the great 
gold medal,” bearing the effigy of his Majesty, and the 
inscription “ Prcemia digno.” The medal is a magnifi¬ 
cent one, of the purest gold, weighing almost a pound. 
Fine Sheep. —We find in the Ithaca Journal, a notice 
of the fleeces of Mr. J. R. Speed’s sheep. His flock is 
said to be about 60—half of which are full-blood, and the 
remainder grade Merino. His stock buck is said to have 
sheared 10 lbs. 4 oz., of one year’s growth, and several 
of the full-blood ewes sheared over 5 lbs. per fleece, 
well washed. 
ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. 
Sweet Brier. D. F. B. (Peru, N. Y.)—It is said, 
we know not with how much truth, that it takes two 
years for the seeds of this plant to vegetate. Are you 
not rather too sanguine in the opinion that the sweet bri¬ 
er is capable of being made into a hedge “that will equal 
the thorn, and in many respects supercede it ?” It may 
be worth an experiment, but from our observation it is 
not sufficiently durable and strong, does not grow thick 
enough, becoming too open by the dying of the old stems. 
Grapes injured by Rose-bugs.— “ A Yeoman of 
Massachusetts.” Syringing vines with soap-suds, in such 
a manner as to shower the bugs with some force, we 
should suppose would cause them to disperse. It is an 
insect that does not prevail extensively over the country, 
and we find no other accounts of its having attacked the 
grape vine. 
Cast-iron Rollers. —In answer to the inquiry about 
jcast-iron rollers, in our last, the New England Farmer 
Isays, “ They can be obtained at J. Breck & Co's Agricul¬ 
tural Warehouse and Seed Store, 52 North Market street, 
! Boston, where they have been for sale for years. Price 
from $20 to $25. Also, stone rollers, at from $12 to $18. 
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS. 
From various points of the western part of the coun 
try, we hear very unfavorable accounts of the appearance 
of the crops. The months of March, April, and May 
were remarkably dry, accompanied by high winds, and 
several unusually cold turns. From Ohio, we have in¬ 
formation from Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Chilicothe, 
Zanesville, and Coshocton. The fruit was nearly all 
killed by frost in the vicinity of these places. The wheat 
was much injured by the high winds and drouth; and in 
many instances suffered much from frost. 
Mr. George Wolfe, of Coshocton county, writes us 
under date of June 2d, as follows:—“We have had three 
or four frosts lately, which have materially injured our 
wheat and corn crops. In fact, the frosts and (he previous 
drouth, have almost destroyed the wheat. I do not think 
it will average one-third of an avarage crop. Many 
farmers are pasturing their wheat fields.” 
The frosts which occurred here the last of May and 
the beginning of June, seem to have been much more 
severe in some other sections .We hear of much damage 
having been done at this time in Ohio, Michigan, and 
Illinois. The Ohio Cultivator, published at Columbus, 
under date of June 1, speaks of a frost on the night of 
the 29th of May, which “cut off nearly all the corn, 
and with it, almost destroyed the hopes of the farmers.” 
It is added—“ The prospects of the farmers in (his region 
are gloomy indeed. We have spent the last week in 
traveling around, and can truly say we never saw crops 
generally so unpromising.” 
We have heard no particular complaints in regard to 
wheat from this slate, or Pennsylvania. Grass in this 
vicinity is good; but south and west we hear that “ole 
meadows” are light. 
Prospects for crops in Alabama_A. McDonald, 
Esq., of Eufalla, writes under date of May 19, that 
crops in that section suffered much from drouth, and in 
some degree also from cold, during April and the first 
part of May. A rain, however, occurred on the 11th oi 
May, which was of much benefit. A larger proportion 
of the provision crops has been this year planted in that 
section than formerly. 
FARM OF THE HON. J. C. CALHOUN. 
In the South Carolinian we find an account of the farm 
of Mr. Calhoun, by a committee of the Ag. Soc. of Pen¬ 
dleton, S. C. It is spoken of as being naturally very su¬ 
perior, yet it is added, “to its proprietor clearly belongs 
the merit of very superior management.” The details 
of the farming operations are not given by the committee, 
as they were so unfortunate as to make their call during 
the absence of Mr. Calhoun. It is stated that the two 
great evils with which the farmers of that section have 
to contend, are the washing of lands by rains, and its 
exhaustion by continued cropping. Mr. Calhoun it is 
said has found an effectual protection against the former 
in the use of “ guard drains,” and against the latter in 
the pea crop. The committee say— e ‘ The stock on this 
farm, consisting of hoises, hogs and cattle, were of good 
breeds and in fine condition. The farm houses were 
sufficiently numerous, and both comfortable and conven¬ 
ient. And this more especially the case with the negro 
house, which consisted of a building of stone of superior 
>masonry, two hundred and ten feet in length, divided in¬ 
to apartments, with separate fireplaces, sufficiently large 
for all the purposes of comfort and healthful ventilation. 
“ The committee, in conclusion, have no hesitation in 
pronouncing the management upon this farm highly su¬ 
perior. The useful and ornamental have been most hap¬ 
pily blended, not only throughout the principal tillage 
crops of the farm, but also the more refined horticultu 
Iral operations of the homestead.” 
