1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
361 
Answers to Inquiries. 
Waste Wool from Factories.— “ A Subscri¬ 
ber.” New Preston, Ct., Wool is similar to horn, in 
its composition—both containing a large proportion ol 
nitrogen. They are, however, slow in decomposing, 
and give out their nitrogen in small quantities. Horn- 
shavings, from the comb-makers, have been found use¬ 
ful when applied to Indian corn at the time of plant¬ 
ing, at the rate of a small handful to a hill. The 
sweepings of woollen factories are considered of great 
value in England, and also in this country, so far as 
the substance has been tried. We are unable to say 
what the usual course of managing it is, but we have 
seen it made up in compost-heaps with muck, and have 
been informed that after it had laid a year and was 
then thoroughly worked over, it was excellent as ma¬ 
nure. It is best applied near the surface—a burying 
with a harrow being sufficient. Mr. Prentice, near 
this city, has used large quantities of hair, (the waste 
of a fur-factory,) in this way. Wool and hair, are of 
course, nearly the same in principle. 
Whale-bone refuse. —G. W. B., New London, 
Ct. We should suppose the best mode of converting 
this substance into manure, would be to use it in com¬ 
post, as above directed for wool-waste, &c. 
Bee-hive. —T. W. Madison, Ind. We have heard 
Kelsey’s bee-hive well spoken of, but have no personal 
knowledge of it. 
Machine for working Butter.— J. H. C., Ad¬ 
rian, Mich. The only implement of this kind of which 
we have any knowledge, is that spoken of in the Culti¬ 
vator, vol. I, new series p. 340, and figured in voi. Ill, 
p. 187, and still further described by J. W. Lincoln, 
Esq., vol. Ill, p. 240. 
Wood for Firkins. —J. H. C. Oak, ash, maple, 
birch, and spruce, are all used in various districts, for 
firkins. There is not an entire agreement as to which 
kind is preferable. If the best of 11 second-growth” 
white oak, free from sap, can be had, it is probably as 
good, if not better than any. Old brash oak is porous, 
and not good for keeping butter a long time. The 
same may be said of open-grained ash, though the best 
of ash answers well. A butter-dealer of great expe¬ 
rience, in this city, informs us that the best maple, ei- 
their red, or sugar maple, thoroughly seasoned, makes 
as good firkins as he ever used. 
“ Pond Mud.” —E. R.. Hartwick, Otsego co., N. Y. 
The “ deposite at the bottom of mill-ponds” is general¬ 
ly similar to what is called “ muck,” and which is found 
in various situations. The best manner of using as 
manure, would lie to lay it up exposed to frost one win¬ 
ter, and then make it into compost, as has often been 
described for muck or peat. 
Cherries for Market. —E. J. F.; Painesville, 
Ohio. Cherries to be sent far to market, must be pick¬ 
ed before they are dead ripe—the stems left on. They 
will thus bear to be put in pretty large baskets, if they 
are not shaken or jammed on the way. They should 
be kept in as cool a situation as possible, and when 
they have reached their destination, should be divided 
into small parcels, to avoid the tendency to fermenta¬ 
tion which exists in large masses. 
Houses of Unburnt Brick. —J. A. L., South 
Hadley. Mass. So far as we have heard, walls of 
buildings made of unburnt brick, in the manner describ¬ 
ed in our March number for last year, (p. 74,) stand 
well—are not affected by frost, moisture or heat. 
They have been used more in Canada than elsewhere, 
and are highly approved. We are not in possession of 
any important information which we have not already 
published. 
Rape Seed.— a A Subscriber.”— Ypsilanti, Mich. 
We do not know of any rape seed for sale. It is not 
cultivated in this vicinity, and we are not apprized of 
its having been cultivated to any extent in this country. 
Burnt Bones. —W. H., West-Bdthel, Yt. In burn¬ 
ing bones, the gelatine or animal matter, which is valu¬ 
able as a manure,, is consumed, but the earthy matter, 
which is chiefly phosphate of lime, remains, and is 
valuable as a manure for many plants, particularly 
wheat. 
Clay Pipes.— We are informed that clay pipes for 
draining are made by W. K. Price, of Middletown 
Point, Monmouth county, New Jersey. The particu¬ 
lar kind is not described, and cur correspondent also 
omitted to state the price. 
Packing Hay.— We have received several inquiries 
in regard to the best mode of packing hay in bales of 
300 to 350 pounds, and the best machines used for that 
purpose. We shall feel obliged if some of our readers 
who are engaged in this business would furnish us with 
the information—stating the kind of machine or press 
preferred, where made, and the price. 
Agricultural Societies. 
Rensselaer County, N. Y.—Next Show and Fair 
to be held at Troy, 20th and 23st September. This is 
one of the most spirited county societies in the country. 
It has offered on this occasion about $1500 in premi¬ 
ums. The Secretary is Seth H. Terry, Esq., Troy, 
who will attend to all communications in regard to the 
society. 
Windsor County, Yt. —Fair to be held at North 
Springfield, on the 4th and 5th days of October next. 
Caledonia County, Vt. —Officers for 1848, James 
D. Bell, President; Wm. Gray, Bowman Bemis, 
Vice Presidents; Andrew McMillan, Treasurer; Geo. 
B. Chandler, Secretary. This Society paid premi¬ 
ums for the following crops grown in 1847: Spring 
wheat —thirty-five bushels on one acre, and thiriy-one 
rods of ground,—first premium. A second premium 
was awarded for twenty-seven bushels on one acre. 
Both crops were of the Black Sea variety. One crop 
was sown the 20th of May and harvested last of Au¬ 
gust. Indian Corn— 109 bushels per acre—planted 
24th and 25th of May. A second premium lor 200 
bushels of ears, one acre. Potatoes —324 bushels 
“ good sound potatoes” on one acre. A secern I pre¬ 
mium for 303 bushels on one acre. 
Ontario County, N. Y.—Fair to be held at Can¬ 
andaigua 10th and 11th October next. The officers 
lor the present year are John Greig, President; Elias 
Cost, Jos. Fellows, J. S. Hart, W. H. Lamport, 
Hiram Ashley, Vice Presidents; Oliver Phelps, 
Cor. Secretary; W. W. Gorham, Rec. Secretary; G. 
W. Bemis, Treasurer. 
Seneca County, N. Y—Officers for the present 
year, John Delafield, President; John D. Coe, 
Treasurer; William R. Schuyler, Secretary. John 
Kennedy, Delegate, to represent the Society at winter 
meetings of the State Society at Albany. Delegates 
have been chosen to attend the autumn lairs of the ad¬ 
joining counties of Ontario, Yates, Tompkins, Cayuga, 
and Wayne. 
Rhode Island State Society.— Officers for 1848 
—John Pitman, President; John Jencks, Christo¬ 
pher Rhodes, Wilkins Updike, Vice Presidents; 
Christopher S. Rhodes, Secretary; Henry W. La- 
throp, Treasurer. The next fair of the Soeiery is to 
be held at Pawtuxet. 
Shingle Machine. —Those who are interested in 
the manufacture of shingles, are referred to the adver¬ 
tisement of Mr. Peters, in this number. 
