1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
what it may, produces a wine readily distinguished 
from all others. In some seasons, a northern exposure 
ripens the fruit better than a southern one. The aroma 
and flavor of the Catawba is the same in every soil 
and exposure, and the quality chiefly depends on the 
manufacturer. The pure juice, without sugar, spirit, 
or other addition, yields the best wine. The manu¬ 
facture of butter is plain and simple, yet not one house¬ 
wife in twenty makes it of the first quality. The same 
is true of the manufacture of wine. A Vine Dres¬ 
ser. Cincinnati, 0., Nov. 12, 1847. 
Large Crops. 
In a late excursion at the West, I noticed from time 
to time, short paragraph accounts of large crops of 
corn, and other products, in the valley of the Ohio. 
For example:—In the notice of the annual fair of 
the Washington Co. (Ohio) Agricultural Society, J. 
W. Dana, Esq., of that county, is said to have raised 
a crop of corn, amounting to about 145 bushels to the 
acre—and in Butler county a gentleman is said to have 
raised 175 bushels of corn to the acre. 
Will Mr. Dana, with whose farm we are somewhat 
acquainted, give us, and the public, through the col- 
ums of the Cultivator, published at Albany, a brief 
and luminous account of his method of preparing and 
tilling the grounds on which he raised this crop? Corn 
being a great staple production over the country, and 
especially over the Ohio valley, Mr. Dana will be ren¬ 
dering a special service to the cause of agriculture, by 
giving us his method of cultivation. 
I would also respectfully ask other growers of large 
corn crops in the west, to communicate also with this 
paper—inasmuch as the Cultivator has a wide circu¬ 
lation over the country. B. 
[We know Mr. Dana and his farm, and should feel 
greatly obliged if he would comply with the sugges¬ 
tions of our correspondent in relation to his corn crop. 
Improvement in the Preparation of Paints. 
The perishable nature of paints, and their failure to 
afford protection to buildings but for a short time, has 
latterly been a subject of much complaint. Mr. Rich¬ 
ard Dally, claims to have discovered a remedy for this 
difficulty. He states that one cause of the failure, is 
the adulteration of white lead and colored paints, by 
the sulphate of barytes. Pure white lead, however, he 
states, though “ admirable for every purpose of inte¬ 
rior decoration and ornament,” is unfitted to stand ex¬ 
posure to the weather, and when thus exposed, rubs 
off like whitewash. Mr. D. says —“ At the suggestion 
of an aged and experienced painter, Mr. Henry Roome, 
the subscriber was induced to make an experiment 
twenty years since, and from its remarkable preserva¬ 
tion, in comparison with painting as generally per¬ 
formed, (the principles having been corroborated by re¬ 
cent discoveries in chemical science,) he can promise a 
degree of durability to all paints exposed to the wea¬ 
ther, that shall place the art of house-painting in a 
much more favorable light than ever before—for sin¬ 
gular as it may seem, most of the operations of the 
painter have hitherto been the result of accident, and 
not of any fixed principles.” 
He also states that by the application of his discove¬ 
ry? black, yellow-ochre, Venetian-red, and Spanish- 
brown, will be rendered nearly indestructible, “ and 
will continue for a generation unaffected by atmosphe¬ 
ric action, thereby furnishing ample protection from 
the weather for expensive steeples, rail-road and other 
bridges, roofs, fences, &c.” 
We are informed that paints and oil, prepared by 
Mr. Dally’s mode, are for sale at the corner of Bur¬ 
ling slip and Pearl-st., New-York. 
Plan of a Farm-IIouse. 
Messrs. Editors —I send you another ground pl&ra 
of a cottage, in which I think three things, very desi¬ 
rable for farmers in ordinary circumstances, are at" 
tained, viz., sufficient room, convenience, and cheap¬ 
ness. The size is 46 by 34 feet. A. represents the 
front hall, 6 by 20 feet; B. the parlor, 26 by 16; C . 
the family room, 16 by 16; D. the kitchen, 16 by 18; 
E. E. two bed-rooms, 12 by 10 each, including the 
clothes presses o. o .; F. the family bed-room, 14 by 9 ; 
G. the young children’s bed-room, 14 by 8young 
children should always sleep near their parents, on ac~ 
count of sickness and sudden calls in the night;—U. 
store-room 10 by 6; I. pantry or milk-room, 10 by 7; 
K. wood-house; c. china closet for the family room; o.o., 
clothes presses; S. chamber stairs. In the above plan 
there are no unnecessary doors, and every room is con¬ 
venient for the business to which it is appropriated. 
The two bed-rooms opening from the family room may 
be sufficiently warmed in winter by opening the doors 
a short time, and the good housewife can oversee the 
affairs of her family and kitchen without taking many 
unnecessary steps. The kitchen is near to the front 
door, the family room, the store room, pantry, and 
wood-house; and as to fire-places or stoves, these must 
be left to every one’s wishes. I have designated a 
place for stairs, thinking it would be well to have at 
least a floor laid over the chamber, for such places are 
always applied to some use. Occasionally and for 
temporary purposes, if more room be wanted, a bed 
may be put into the parlor. 
The Cost. —Such a cottage as the above, built of 
brick and completely finished, with a cellar under the 
whole—the walls to be 8 inches thick and 12feet high, 
and ten feet between joints—can be built in Buffalo 
for $800. H. A. P. 
The Wood Plow. 
I was intimately acquainted with Jethro Wood for 
nearly thirty years, residing within five miles of him 
during the whole period in which he was engaged in 
improving the plow. In the early part of 1812, I tried 
to procure one of Peacock’s, near Philadelphia, but 
failed; and on my return, I spoke of my disappointment 
to him, when a long conversation on improvements in 
the plow ensued. From that time the subject con¬ 
tinued to claim his attention. In 1814 he obtained his 
first patent, the specifications for which I drew. The 
chief improvements (if my memory is correct,) con¬ 
sisted in the superior shape of the cast-iron mould- 
board, and a small wrought share, fastened on with 
screws. I had one of the first that was made, proba° 
bly before it was patented. 
To understand the importance of these improvements 
and of those which followed, it may be necessary to 
