1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
189 
ers beat their plough-shares into swords, and engage 
in the work of desolating the earth, destroying her in¬ 
habitants, and filling her with crime and misery, let us 
have wisdom enough to adhere to the employment of 
our primeval ancestor'—a far nobler employment than 
that for which his degenerate sons exhibit such a me¬ 
lancholy fondness. In the vast field of agricultural in¬ 
vestigation and improvement—a field but hitherto par¬ 
tially explored—let it be our ambition to win laurels 
not steeped in tears and blood, but gathered in peace 
and quietness, and bleating flocks, and lowing herds, 
and waving harvest-fields, and smiling, light-hearted, 
industrious citizens.” 
Seedling Potatoes-Running out of Varieties, &c. 
In the March number of the Cultivator, I noticed an 
article from Mr. H. A. Parsons, of Buffalo, on the 
necessity of change of seed, and running out of varieties. 
On referring back, I perceive that he has written much 
on the same subject. I do not intend to enter into a 
controversy with Mr. P., but will submit a few facts 
and a few practical hints to your readers. 
Mi*. Parsons says in his premises, that “ an occasional 
instance of success or failure proves nothing.” So we 
all say. He refers to the opinion of Mr. Cooper, who 
thinks the deterioration of the potatoe is owing in a 
great measure to the use of poor seed; but Mr. P. does 
not believe that farmers are generally in the practice of 
using poor seed—that is, small potatoes. If Mr. P. 
will extend his observations to other parts of the State, 
I think he will learn that a very large portion of the 
seed committed to the earth would not make a very 
good appearance on the table—he would find the tubers 
generally small and of ill form. Farmers have, in many 
instances, sold all the good potatoes they could spare, 
after leaving a supply for their own table. I would ask 
Mr. Parsons, and every reader of the Cultivator, to in¬ 
quire of their neighbors, to the number of twenty or 
more, and see how many are in the habit of selecting 
the fairest and best shaped potatoes for seed. 
u Some varieties having ceased to produce balls,’’ 
does not frighten me, and is no sufficient cause of alarm. 
I have dug potatoes, more or less, for thirty years, and 
have always noticed that where a hill or plant had a 
profuse crop of balls, the tubers were lacking in size 
and quantity. 
I believe in the principle that like produces like; 
and if this principle were adhered to, and the best al¬ 
ways selected for propagation, we should hear but little 
about the “ running out of varieties.” 
Mr. Parsons says—The present disease in the po¬ 
tato was generally first noticed in this country in 1843. 
Soon after that, (1845), the agricultural census of the 
State was taken, which showed that the average product 
of the potato crop was only 70 bushels per acre : not half 
what it was 25 years ago.” It is well known that in 
1844 and 1845, the potato crop in this State was much 
injured by the rot—from one-fourth to nine-tenths of the 
crop was destroyed by this disease. 
He concludes by saying —■“ I did not intend to make 
any remarks about the cause or remedy of the present 
wide-spread disease in the potato.” Yet he quotes 
largely from European authorities to prove that the dis¬ 
eases with which the potato has been attacked, were 
induced by the age of the varieties and their (supposed) 
consequent debility. And from his own observation he 
has drawn the same conclusion—both now and hereto¬ 
fore. He therefore draws conclusions without intend¬ 
ing to make any “ remarks” in regard to the disease. 
In conclusion, I commend Mr. Smith’s zeal in the 
production of new varieties from seed. I say go on, 
and when varieties are produced which excel those we 
now have in yield and intrinsic value, let them be adopt¬ 
ed ; but let all be first proved , that we may only “hold 
fast those which are good.” E. Hammond. 
Rong and Short Manure. 
The committee on Farm Management for the N. Y„ 
State Agricultural Society, in their report for 1847, 
speak of the different modes adopted by the competitors 
for premiums on farms, and observe—“ All the 
competitors, with the exception of Mr. Delafield, pre¬ 
fer to use manure in its long or unrotted state, 
while the latter prefers to use it after it is well 
rotted; a careful examination of the answers, however, 
reconciles these conflicting opinions. We think that 
both theory and practice most clearly indicate that a 
cord of long manure will produce a greater amount of 
vegetable growth than the same cord would do if al¬ 
lowed to rot, exposed to the action of the sun and rain; 
because, during the process, a very great proportion of 
the ammonia will evaporate, and a smaller proportion 
of the saline matters will be leached away; but this loss 
will be avoided by the covering of muck, earth and plaster 
by which the heaps of Mr. Delafield are protected, and 
which absorb and combine with these valuable adjuncts 
to fertility. By Mr. Delafield’s method, therefore, a 
greater amount of fertilizing matter is restored to the soil 
than existed in its unrotted state; but it also has the 
additional advantage of being presented to the growing 
crops in a form better fitted for assimilation.” 
Hints for Preventing Consumption. 
It is not intended to give a chapter on the cure of 
the dire disease, consumption, believing that a few 
words on its prevention will be more useful. To insure 
success, we must begin with the infant subject—the 
offspring of healthy ancestors. Protect it in infancy 
with soft flannels next the skin, and let it breathe only 
pure air. In youth teach it that good health is the 
greatest of earthly blessings; without it there can be' 
no enjoyment of life, and with it there should be no 
complaint of its defects. Teach it, that good health 
like a good estate, may be squandered little by little 
until it is bankrupt. Teach it that temperance in all 
things is essential; that there can be no violation of the 
laws of nature with impunity. Teach it to sit and 
walk erect, that the chest may be fully expanded, to 
protect the chest with flannel next the person, and oth¬ 
er warm loose woolen clothing, at least during that 
season of the year that easterly or northeasterly winds 
prevail. Do not suffer the clothing so tight on the 
chest or body as to interfere in the smallest degree with 
the free expansion of the lungs. To keep the feet dry 
with thick oiled leather, loosely applied. Exercise se¬ 
veral hours every day in the open air. Choose virtu¬ 
ous and cheerful companions, with whom singing and 
laughter may be indulged in; and finally, take time to 
eat and masticate your food well. 
The above remarks are hastily thrown together, they 
are the result of observation and experience, and touch 
some points that are essential to the preservation of 
health, and too cften neglected in the popular education 
of youth, or the practice of manhood. A. B. Setzler’s 
Store , Pa, 
Fastening Shingles. 
In one of your back volumes I noticed something in 
regard to the manner in which shingles are nailed on, in 
some parts of the country, (I forget where;) but I 
think the practice of our carpenters is preferable; which 
is only to nail them in the waist or near the middle, 
so that none of the nail heads, except on the bottom 
and top courses, are exposed to the sun. It was found 
that in the old practice of nailing in the buts, the ac¬ 
tion of the sun would in time loosen the nails and ad¬ 
mit the rain. P. S. Bunting. Crosswicks ? N. 
March 14, 1848, 
