346 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
cultural societies, ami the interchange of intelligence 
through the medium of agricultural periodicals. He 
says—“ The formation of this, and other like associations, 
and the variety, and standard worth of our many periodi¬ 
cals which are devoted to Agriculture and the mechanic 
arts, show the spirit of our people. The benefit which 
the country receives on account of the free interchange 
of thought, and general diffusion of intelligence through 
these channels, is incalculable. An intelligent and well 
informed gentleman from the south once asserted that 
through the influence of the Albany Cultivator alone, 
the wealth of that part of the country had been increased 
more thaVi two millions of dollars.” 
Teacher's Advocate. —This is a new paper devoted 
to the cause of.education. Its publication was commenced 
on the first of September last. It appears to be conducted 
with much energy and talent, and we doubt not is des¬ 
tined to be an important organ in the advancement of the 
grand cause in which it has engaged. It is published 
weekly at $2 per year, at Syracuse—edited by Edward 
Cooper, Esq. We recommend it to the attention and 
support of the public. 
The Railroad Journal. —This valuable Journal is 
published weekly, 16 pages quarto, by D. K. Minor, 23 
Chambers-st., New-York, at $3 per year. It contains 
extensive tables showing the length, cost, income, divi¬ 
dends, &c., of most of the American and English Rail¬ 
roads and Canals; also the most recent accounts of im¬ 
portant improvements in the construction and manage¬ 
ment of railroads, and railroad machinery. It will be 
found useful to Engineers, Directors, and Stockholders of 
Railroads, who should all be familiar, as well with what is 
passing abroad as at home, in relation to this rapidly ad¬ 
vancing cause. 
FOREIGN. 
We have files of foreign papers to Oct. 2. Accounts 
concur in the statement of a deficiency of bread-stuffs, 
both in Great Britain and on the continent. Of the 
causes of this deficiency, we are not fully informed. 
The occurrence of wet weather while the harvest was 
going on, it is stated produced in many districts, great 
damage. But the very general failure of the potatoe 
crop, throughout a large portion of Europe, has undoubt¬ 
edly been the means of greatly enhancing the price of 
grain. Ordinarily, potatoes constitute the chief support 
of the peasantry in many parts of those countries, and 
it is natural that the withdrawal of that great source of 
sustenance should cause a rise in the value of grain, and 
perhaps create a demand beyond the ability to supply 
without recourse to foreign markets. Whether, how¬ 
ever, the prospect of a market for our bread-stuffs in 
Europe is such as to justify the advance which has 
here taken place, we are unable to decide. The rise in 
the British markets, (the news of which by the Great 
Britain steamer created so much stir among our flour 
ami grain dealers,) is said to have been partly the result 
of “ home deficiency and the numerous orders received 
from Holland and Belgium for the purchase of foreign 
wheat under lock, for immediate shipment to those coun¬ 
tries, where, it is affirmed, a most alarming deficiency is 
apparent in the potato crop.” 
The Mark Lane Express observes in relation to the 
loss of the potato crop: “ The extent of the damage 
caused by the potato disease is alarmingly great. Not 
only is such the case in almost every locality in Eng¬ 
land, but it has extended itself into parts of Ireland, 
Scotland, and the Channel Islands. It is impossible to 
say where it will end; but we most seriously regret this 
circumstance, which must affect the poorer classes of 
society, and entail a vast amount of misery among them. 
Various remedies have been proposed to stop the disease, 
none of which have, we fear, been found successful.” 
In Holland, (as before mentioned,) Denmark, and 
many parts of France and Germany, this potato malady 
has during the past season greatly prevailed, and much 
suffering among the poorer classes of the population is 
feared in consequence. Speculation in regard to the 
cause, is still rife, though but little has yet been settled. 
One of our latest English papers says— “our best mi- 
croscopist cryptogamists are divided in opinion as to 
whether the cause of the calamity is a fungus or not.” 
Death of Earl Spencer —We regret to learn by 
our late English papers, the death of this devoted friend 
of agriculture. We believe his death was quite sudden, 
but we have not the particulars in regard to the cause. 
{fClpThe English Farmer's Herald is copying from 
this paper, the communications of our Scottish corrres- 
dent on the Rotation of Crops in the Lothians. The 
editor introduces the first of the series as follows:—“We 
are indebted to the Cultivator , an American paper, for 
the following letter, the first of a series upon this most 
interesting and important subject. Mr. Girdwood, the 
writer, is evidently well qualified for the task he has un¬ 
dertaken, and we shall have pleasure in making our 
readers further acquainted with him. To every farmer 
in Britain or Ireland the excellence of the culture in the 
Lothians of Scotland has long been familiar as his house¬ 
hold gods, at least by reputation. The present series of 
letters from Mr. Girdwood will show the world how 
that excellence has been obtained.” The same paper, 
copies Mr. Rorsford’s 5th Letter on German Farming; 
and the London Gardener's Chronicle of Sept. 27, copies 
the remarks of Mr. Bacon, on the Potato Rot, from our 
June number. 
SHOW OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 
We attended the exhibition of stock, &c., of this insti¬ 
tution, which took place at New-York, on the 14th and 
15th of last month. In point of numbers and quality, we 
think the present exhibition^ was much superior to any 
former one. The horses were the first which met our 
attention, of which there was a numerous collection. 
Among them we particularly noticed Sir Painter, owned 
by Epenetus Howe, of North Salem, Westchester county, 
N. Y. He is a beautiful thorough bred animal, evidently 
possessing great power and courage. We also noticed 
several other fine horses, particularly Florizel, owned 
by Mr. Crosby, of Watervliet, and others, whose owners’ 
names we did not learn. 
There were several pairs of very large, strong mules, 
shown. We noticed several which we thought were 
over 15 hands high. There was also a pair which were 
perfectly white, a very unusual color for this animal. 
Of cattle, there were several fine Durham bulls, and a 
few good cows. The principal competitors were Messrs. 
Bell & Morris, Woolsey and Dr. Poole, of New-Jersey. 
The letter gentleman also exhibited some very pretty 
full blood Alderney cows. There were several very fine 
Devons, belonging to Mr. Colt, of New-Jersey. Mr. 
Blakesly, and we think some others, from Connecticut, 
also showed some good Devon bulls. 
In the sheep department the show was very good—in 
the long wooled breeds it was indeed quite superior, 
both in numbers and quality. Among the competitors 
in this class we noticed Messrs. Hallock. McIntyre, and 
Bathgate, all having excellent stock. The South Downs 
were not numerous, though we noticed a few good ones. 
ExcellentMerinos were exhibited by Messrs. Jewett, of 
Vt., and Blakesly of Ct., and some, a cross of Saxon and Me¬ 
rino, by Mr. Smith, of Ct., which attracted much attention. 
There was a considerable assortment of poultry, the 
most curious of which were a pair of snow-white Guinea 
fowls, offered by S. F. Jones, of New Brighton. They 
were perfect albinos, having been bred from the ordinary 
grey-spotted species. The same person showed also, 
some immense Java fowls, and capons from the Bucks 
county breed. 
The mechanical, horticultural, and floral department 
of the exhibition, we had not time to examine with the 
attention requisite to obtain a just idea of it. It was 
however acknowledged to be superior to any previous 
show, and may be pronounced a splendid affair. We 
glanced for a few moments at the implements, &c., a pa¬ 
tent brick moulder, by A. Hall, Coxackie, N. Y.; a 
horse-power by Mr. Burrall, of Geneva; a superior cook¬ 
ing closet, by J. Grimes, New-York; a shower bath, 
(very convenient,) by John Locke, New-York, and an 
excellent water filter. 
