246 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
structed that no definite amount of pressure shall be 
sufficient to restrain the escape of a portion of water from 
an opening in the summit of the curve, while in the or¬ 
dinary syphon, a very small aperture at that point, com¬ 
municating with the open air, destroys its action instant¬ 
ly; yet this apparatus demonstrates that it can be accom¬ 
plished, by an extremely simple and compact contrivance, 
and on any scale that may be required, from a miniature 
model that will discharge its gill per minute, to an en¬ 
gine that will elevate a hogshead of water in the same 
space of time. 
The apparatus is, moreover, so extremely durable, and 
so constant and certain in its operation, that it furnishes 
all the advantages of an aqueduct which brings water 
from an elevated level. The invention is capable of ap¬ 
plication to any good well or water course, which ad¬ 
mits of the operation of a syphon, even though such well 
or water course should be a hundred rods, or more, dis¬ 
tant from the lower level which should furnish the work¬ 
ing power. 
When applied to wells, I think it cannot fail to im¬ 
prove the quality of the water, as it is constantly changed 
and kept in motion. 
Such an invention, if successful, places at the disposal 
of thousands of farmers, manufacturers, and gentlemen 
who appreciate matters of taste and luxury as highly as 
those of mere utility, a supply of water for use or for 
ornament, which it would be impossible for them to ob¬ 
tain in a more simple, cheap, or economical manner. 
When my arrangements are completed for offering my 
invention to the public, I shall be happy, with your per¬ 
mission, to avail myself of your valuable journal, for the 
publication of a more minute description of this syphon, 
accompanied, perhaps, with a drawing. In the mean¬ 
time, I shall take pleasure in showing the practical ope¬ 
ration of the one which I have already constructed, to 
any of your numerous subscribers who may be sufficiently 
interested in the foregoing statements to call and see it. 
I am, sir, most respectfully yours, 
Erastus W. Ellsworth. 
East Windsor Hill, Conn., My l8f/i, 1845. 
DR. LEE’S ADDRESS IN CORTLAND. 
Ed. Cultivator —Pursuant to notice, Doct. Daniel 
Lee, the lecturer of the State Ag. Society delivered an 
address to the farmers of this county, in the Court house, 
on the 19th insl. 
Rufus Boies, Esq., of Cortlandville, Pres’t. of the 
County Ag. Society, presided, aided by the following Ex- 
Pres’ts of the Society—Jesse Ives, Esq., Doct. John 
Miller, Jedediah Barber, Esq., and 'William Randall, 
Esq. [Only two of the Vice Prest’s were absent; Judge 
Berry, w r ho has removed to Wisconsin, and Dan Hib¬ 
bard, Esq., who was confined at home by illness.] 
George Chamberlain, Esq., Sec’y of the Society, acted 
as Secretary. 
The audience, all circumstances considered, was large, 
and it was a capital representation of the enterprize and 
intelligence of our county. The address occupied proba¬ 
bly an hour and a half, and was listened to, evidently, 
with profound interest and attention. I speak advisedly 
when I say it gave high satisfaction to all present. 
At the close of the address, on motion of P. Barber, 
Esq., of Homer, it was unanimously 
Resolved, That the thanks of the farmers of Cortland 
county be tendered to Doct. Lee, for his able, interest¬ 
ing, and highly instructive address. 
On motion of II. S. Randall, of Cortlandville, it was 
unanimously 
Resolved, That we highly approve of the course of 
the N. Y. State Ag. Society, in employing a lecturer to 
arouse the attention of the farmers of this state to the 
subject of agricultural improvement, and to communicate 
to them the recent important discoveries which have 
been made in their art, by means of Agricultural che 
mistry. 
Doct. John Miller, of Truxton, rose and addressed the 
meeting for a few minutes with characteristic energy of 
thought and expression—congratulated the farmers of this 
state on the important auxiliary influence which science 
was bringing to bear on the mere physical and mechani¬ 
cal manipulations of husbandry, and expressed the opin¬ 
ion that the time had come when the state should do 
something to cause the rising generation of farmers to 
be instructed in the science of their art. He could not 
say the time had yet come when agriculture could be 
taught profitably in our common schools. He feared not. 
But it could be taught in a State Ag. School to young 
men, who could ultimately teach it in the common 
schools and elsewhere. He was in favor of such an in¬ 
stitution, and thought it should be endow'ed by the state. 
Mr, Randall remarked that the society of this county 
had already taken action on these subjects. They had 
unanimously voted that a State Ag. School with a pattern 
farm, ought to be established by the state—that agricul¬ 
tural books should be introduced into the common school 
libraries, but they had also voted that the time had not 
yet come to introduce agriculture as a study into the 
common schools. As many were present w r ho were not 
members of the society, he would be glad of an expres¬ 
sion on the first named topic from this meeting. 
Mr. P. Barber, argued that we should not only pass 
such a resolution, but that we should take care to elect 
members to the legislature who would carry out our 
views. 
Rufus Boies, Esq., the President of the Society, in a 
few impressive remarks, concurred in the opinions of 
previous speakers on this subject. 
At the instance of Dr. Miller, the following resolution 
was drawn up, and it passed unanimously: 
Resolved, That the interests of the Agricultural popu¬ 
lation of this state demand the establishment of a State 
Agricultural School with a pattern farm, and that our 
next members of the legislature be requested to urge the 
passage of such a law. 
The meeting then adjourned. R. 
MANAGEMENT OF POULTRY. 
Mr. Tucker —In the present July number of your 
Cultivator is an article headed “ Fowls in yards,” stating 
that hens kept in small yards often acquire the habit of 
plucking out each other’s feathers, till the victims are 
stripped sometimes almost naked—in some cases even 
their crops and entrails torn out, &c., &c. The article 
closes with the following question. “Can any one ex¬ 
plain the cause of this morbid appetite, or tell us the 
best way of keeping fowls in a yard?” 
I have had but little experience in keeping fowls, but 
am in possession of some facts, which may perhaps fur¬ 
nish an answer to the first part of the question ; the latter 
part of it is pretty fully answered by yourself in the article 
in question. I would remark, however, that hens require 
a plentiful supply of fresh water; they also need shade. 
A yard with a spring in it is a desideratum. Willows 
may be planted about the water, affording the desirable 
retreat; and the moist ground will retain the grasses 
permanently; whereas, in a dry yard, unless it be quite 
large, the ground will be bare as a roadway from the 
constant tramping and scratching. 
The facts alluded to are as follows. A friend of mine 
engaged in the poultry trade, and at the commencement 
of operations, he had several hundred fowls confined in 
a small yard. They did very well for a period, having 
been regularly fed and watered; but after some weeks 
confinement, the habit of plucking feathers manifested 
itself, and his hens appeared to be losing their good con¬ 
dition. One morning he discovered that one of his fowls 
had been nearly devoured, the skeleton and some frag¬ 
ments remaining. He supposed some animal had gained 
access to the yard, set about finding the evidences of the 
supposed visitor, but without success. At noon of the 
same day, on looking into the yard, he saw another of 
the fowls just run down, and a group of hens around it 
devouring it most voraciously. The next morning 
another victim suffered in the same way. 
He took the hint by this time, and without delay pro¬ 
cured and kept them supplied with fresh beef, mutton, 
&c., and he lost no more fowls in that way. 
It is well known also with what avidity hens that are 
confined in yards will seize and devour insects, worms. 
