THE CULTIVATOR. 
247 
mice, &c. These facts would seem to indicate that hens 
are not Grahamites—that the appetite alluded to is not a 
morbid one, but a constitutional necessity for animal 
food, and that if it cannot otherwise be obtained, they 
prey upon each other. Yours truly, C. S. 
N. Am. Phalanx , N. J., July 12, 1845. 
MR. ALLEN’S HERD-BOOK. 
(CIRCULAR.) 
Sir —About a year ago, at the solicitation of a num¬ 
ber of gentlemen interested in the breeding of short 
horn cattle, I published a notice in several of the agri¬ 
cultural papers of the United States, that I would get up 
an American Herd-Book, provided my efforts should be 
seconded by a respectable portion of those engaged in 
that pursuit. Although slow in their responses, a consi¬ 
derable number of breeders have forwarded the pedigrees 
of their herds for insertion according to the terms of my 
proposal. Many, however, and among them some of 
the early and distinguished promoters of this branch of 
agricultural improvement, remain unmindful of this op¬ 
portunity of thus recording their valuable stock. 
A sufficient number of individuals having already con¬ 
tributed the pedigrees of their cattle to insure its publi¬ 
cation, the work will proceed as soon as circumstances 
will permit, which will be within three months from this 
time. 
I presume no arguments will be necessary with any 
systematic short horn breeder to convince him of the 
necessity and convenience of an American registry of his 
cattle, other than such as will suggest themselves to his 
own mind, and those already advanced in my two seve¬ 
ral notices to breeders already published. 
In case you think proper to register your cattle in the 
proposed work, you will please transmit your catalogue 
of thorough bred animals (none other being admitted) 
with as little delay as possible, to me (post paid) at this 
place, with the registry fees accompanying them, and 
stating also the number of copies of the work you wish 
for, when published. 
I will here remark, that the month of October next 
will be the latest period at which pedigrees can be re¬ 
ceived, as the work will be put in press immediately 
after. 
The terms for registry are as follows: 
For a single animal, one dollar. 
For any greater number, not exceeding ten, 50 cents 
each. 
For a number exceeding ten, 40 cents each. 
The work itself not to exceed three dollars a copy. 
If any gentleman of your neighborhood or acquaint¬ 
ance be a breeder of short horns, and not in receipt of 
this notice, you will confer a mutual favor by giving him 
ihe above information. 
Lewis F. Allen. 
Black Rock, N. Y. July, 1845. 
CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 
Mr. Editor —My plan of a vineyard, after the vines 
are scaffolded, is, in brief, to have no impediment to a 
free passage of men, cart, or team, beneath the scaffold¬ 
ing; nor nothing seen for several feet high but main 
stem of vines and posts; and swine always kept in the 
vineyard to help to keep the ground clear of grass and 
weeds. When necessary, I use the harrow, skimmer, 
plow, or cultivator. And especially before an expected 
frost or severe weather to cause the leaves to fall, I sca¬ 
rify the ground: and again after they fall, I run over the 
surface with some instrument to incorporate the leaves 
with the soil to prevent their blowing away, and to an¬ 
swer in lieu of manuring. Trimming in the summer and 
early in the fall is good for all vines, (so far as trimming 
is necessary,) but especially so for the Scuppernong. No 
danger of bleeding at these times; and these last named 
vines especially should have plenty of room to expand— 
say thirty feet apart;—not too great a distance when con¬ 
sidered that ere long, with good attention, they will form 
a thick, complete canopy, at that or even greater dis¬ 
tance. Other vines ten feet each way is the common 
distance. Ten feet also the common distance for all my 
my posts to support the scaffolding. 
In haste, yours, &c. Sidney Weller. 
Brinkleyville, N. C., June 6, 1845. 
REMEDY FOR A LIGHT CROP. 
Mr. Tucker —As there is a general complaint that 
the grass crop will be a short one, I would advise far¬ 
mers, when they mow away their wheat in the barn or 
stack, to spread over every course of sheaves three or 
four handsful of salt. The straw will always heat 
enough to absorb the salt, and wheat may be mowed 
damper with the salt than without it. The straw, when 
thrashed, if not returned into the barn, should be well 
stacked; and if a large stack and well settled, will need 
no fence round it. Cattle, horses and sheep will help 
themselves, and the farmer will need no straw cutter, 
and will soon find his straw made into manure, better 
than by any patent right yet invented. Last winter I 
fed my colts, cows and sheep hay but once a day till the 
first of February, with straw that had been salted in the 
above manner, and they kept as well as when they had 
hay all the time. Some of my neighbors fed no hay to 
their young cattle while their straw lasted. In w r estern 
New-York vast mounds of straw are left in the field 
from the time of thrashing till the ground is wanted to 
be plowed, when they are removed by fire; and num¬ 
bers burn their straw as soon as thrashed, to destroy the 
pigeon-weed or red-root; but as the seed of this weed 
ripens long before harvest and drops off, nothing is gained 
by burning the straw. R. Johnson. 
East Groveland, Livingston County, July 11, 1845. 
THE POTATOE ROT. 
Mr. Editor —In almost every number of your Culti¬ 
vator, I find something in relation to the rot in the po- 
tatoe, both as regards the cause and the mode of preven¬ 
tion. 
This, with us, is a disease of comparatively rare oc¬ 
currence; and may, I think, be justly attributed to our 
peculiar method of cultivation; and, indeed, so far as I 
can understand where this plan has been adopted, no case 
of the disease has ever made its appearance. 
In the selection of our land we prefer a light sandy 
soil, without great regard to the richness of quality; this 
having been well pulverized, is drilled to the depth of 
from five to six inches and from to 2 feet apart; at 
the bottom of these furrows and at the distance of eight 
inches are laid the potatoes, which we prefer being cut 
with from two to three eyes to a piece; the drills are 
then filled nearly to the top with the best well littered 
stable manure; a small portion of dirt is thrown on this 
so as to level the whole. The entire surface of the 
ground is then covered with leaves, (we prefer pine straw,) 
to the depth of from three to six inches. 
It is to the adoption of this last method I particularly 
allude. The advantages of the straw are obvious; by its 
use is produced a more uniform moisture, as well as tem¬ 
perature of soil, which is kept perfectly free from grass 
and weeds, although no farther attention is required 
either from the plow or hoe, until the maturity of the 
potatoe; which for their size and number I have never 
seen surpassed, or equalled by any other method. This 
plan, with us, although not universal, is becoming much 
more general and will, I think, in a short time supercede 
that of any other. Thomas C. Hines. 
Nansemond, Va., July 12th, 1845. 
SOAKING SEEDS. 
There is an exception to the oft repeated directions to 
soak seeds before planting. It is ivhen the ground is so 
dry as to attract the moisture from the seed. Then it de¬ 
lays rather than hastens the vegetation, if indeed it does 
not kill the seed. In all other cases, it i3 of great benefit 
to steep, and even scald, the seeds. I have tried all 
methods for some time, from soaking one hour to sprout¬ 
ing the various seeds, and the above is the result. Du¬ 
ring the severe drouth this spring, steeped seeds have 
generally died in the ground, and those only have vegeta 
ted that were planted dry. H. 
