338 
THE CULTIVATOR 
thus take out the frost. Boiling or thawing them takes 
the sourness or acid all out of them, and renders them 
more palatable and nourishing. I give each hog one- 
third of a pailfull of apoles at a time, three times a day. 
If I fed them on potatoes, I should give them nearly as 
many in quantity, as I do apples; therefore, I think a 
bushel of apples is worth nearly as much for hogs as a 
bushel of potatoes. It is my opinion that our farmers 
better set out more orchards rather than cut down what 
they now have. The old orchards are fast going to de¬ 
cay in this vicinity, and the rising generation will want 
for apples unless there is more trees set out soon. 
Horace Goodhue. 
P. S. I feed good mellow sour and some sweet apples 
to my hogs in the fall, both to my fat hogs and shoats, 
every day, and think that they both make them grow and 
help towards fatting them. 
Westminster, Vt., Oct . 9, 1845. 
nuring and working of the corn, of which, of course, 
they partake. 
As I find this a very valuable and cheap crop for 
starting the fattening of my pork and beef, I should wish 
if possible, to increase the crop, should I find that it does 
not lessen the still more valuable crop of corn. 
Very obediently yours, Charles Fox. 
Grosse He, Michigan, Oct. 3, 1845. 
We are unable to point to any analysis of the pumpkin 
but practical farmers know that it is very valuable for 
feeding stock. It will fatten animals rapidly, and for 
producing rich milk, we scarcely know any thing equal 
to it. We have never considered them an exhausting 
crop to the land; like other broad leaved plants they 
are thought to draw their nourishment largely from 
the atmosphere—but we have sometimes had the ground 
in cornfields so completely covered with the vines, that 
they hindered the corn from filling and ripening by 
obstructing the heat of the sun.— [Ed. 
CEMENT WATER PIPES. 
Luthur Tucker, Esq,.— I was in erested in a com¬ 
munication on Cement for aqueducts, in the third vol. 
Genesee Farmer, p. 55. I have waited with some 
anxiety to learn the result of the experiment. At first 
sight, the communication refered to, appears plain and 
practicable; yet, to one entirely unacquainted with the 
business, it is blind, entirely blind on the most difficult 
point. 
I have seen nothing since that date, to throw any new 
light on the subject, excepting your last August No., re¬ 
commending common lime. 
What should be the thickness of cement around the 
bore sufficient to bear a pressure of six feet of water? 
For a double pumpstock, where the water enters, rises, 
passing down the opposite side and off to another outlet, 
what is the method of building, uniting with the aque¬ 
duct, and securing from the frost? Also, what is water 
lime worth at Albany? 
I should be happy to receive an answer to the above 
questions, by some experienced man, either by letter, or 
through your valuable paper. 
Also, by one that knows the expense and utility of 
cloth for covering buildings; what kind of cloth would 
be cheapest; what paints are used to make it water proof? 
Wm. F. Guernsey. 
Rochester, Vt., Oct. 14, 1845. 
We shall be glad to receive an answer to the above, 
from some of our subscribers.— Eds. 
THE PUMPKIN. 
Ed. Cultivator —Tn the various excellent tables of 
analysis which have of late years been supplied to far¬ 
mers by Liebig, Johnston, Dana, and others, I have 
been unable to find any analysis whatever of the common 
pumpkin. Although many thousand bushels must annu¬ 
ally be produced in this country, and greatly assist the 
farmer in fattening and keeping his stock, even Mr. 
Ellsworth in his last report as Commissioner of the Pa¬ 
tent Office, makes no mention of them. As I regularly 
sow and grow this fruit with my corn, and as it is a 
general practice with farmers in my neighborhood, I am 
desirous of ascertaining, if possible, the following facts, 
and you would much oblige me, and others, by answer¬ 
ing the succeeding questions, if the subject has been 
investigated: 
1. What are the component parts of the pumpkin, as 
compared with potatoes, ruta baga, and carrots, and what 
is their comparative chemical value as food? 
2. Do they, or do they not, to any notable extent, de¬ 
teriorate the land; and do they injure the crop of corn 
with which they are growing when planted in every two 
or three alternate hills? 
3. In what part does the fattening quality lie; in the 
seeds alone, which are obviously oily, or in the whole 
fruit; and do they, like peas, add chiefly to the flesh; or 
like corn to the fat, or do they do both? 
4. Is there any peculiar process whereby the crop may 
be greatly increased, independent of the ordinary ma¬ 
IMPORTATION OF SPANISH MERINO SHEEP. 
Weybrldge, Vt., Oct. 20, 1845. 
Luthur Tucker, Esq.— You may well recollect that 
D. Jay Browne, Esq., of the city of N. Y., last spring 
gave us several interesting and valuable letters through 
the American Agriculturist, relating to “ Sheep Husbandry 
in Spain.” Having had the pleasure of meeting Mr. 
Browne last summer, I learned that an earlier importa¬ 
tion of Spanish Merinos than we have had any account 
of, was introduced by William Foster, a merchant of 
Boston. 
I therefore wrote to Mr. Foster, and also to Mr. Sales, 
the Spanish Professor in Harvard College,whom I also 
learned was knowing to the fact. From the latter gen¬ 
tleman, I have received the following reply: 
S. W. Jewett. 
LETTER FROM PROF. SALES. 
Cambridge, Oct. 9, 1845. 
Mr. S. W. Jewett— I received your esteemed favor 
of the 25th of last month in due time, and should have 
answered it sooner if I could have had the good fortune 
of seeing my good and old friend, the Hon. Wm. Foster, 
of Boston, who was the real, and I believe the first im¬ 
porter of merino sheep in this country. Not having been 
able to find him, having since called at his residence in 
said city, I left a line requesting him to give me the in¬ 
formation you desire, and the following is an extract of 
what he has this day written to me: 
“ You will remember that when we came from Spain 
together, in April 1793, in the ship Bald Eagle, Captain 
|John Atkins, you and I were at that age in which young 
folks love to take risks, and to do extraordinary things; 
accordingly,.I smuggled from Cadiz, three merino sheep, 
|and a valuable painting of (e Rebecca at the well,” by 
Murillo, prohibited under severe penalties. The paint¬ 
ing I found a few years ago, (being reminded by you of 
its existence) in Col. Sargeant's garret. I gave it to the 
Boston Athenaeum, where it is much valued. The three 
sheep I bought of a drover from the Sierra Morena, on 
the condition that he should bring them down with the 
drove, for the Shambles, and deliver them outside the 
city gates, to a certain fisherman, who smuggled them on 
board our ship. They arrived safe after a long passage 
and much sickness, and I gave them, as you well remem¬ 
ber, to Andrew Craigie, Esq , of Cambridge. Soon after 
I went to France, where I passed fifteen years of the 
Revolution. On my return, meeting one day Mr. Craigie 
at a sale of merinos, where he paid $1000 a piece for 
them, I asked him what became of the Ram arid two 
Ewes. He answered, very innocently, that he ate them, 
they being of no value, as we had no manufacturers. 
That, in fact, he did remember that they were merinos. 
So ended my speculation.” 
The foregoing information is, as you see, authentic as 
to your request, and if I can at any time be of further 
service to you, command me freely. 
I remain, dear sir, very respectfully. 
Your obedient servant, F. Sales.” 
