THE CULTIVATOR. 
61 
the soil, but rather the reverse, we quote the author’s remarks upon 
the vineyards of St. Julien, celebrated for the fine flavor and delica¬ 
cy of their wines. 
“ The vineyards of St. Julien occupy the sides of the most bar¬ 
ren rocks of that country, [Italy,] and I was at a loss to discover the 
necessary soil for the support of the plants. The vines were not 
more than six inches in height; of short stunted growth, and 
crowded together in a confused mass, without order, the space in¬ 
tervening being scarce sufficient to allow the weeding them. It is 
to the peculiarity of this stony locale , the reflected heat of the sun, 
and the absence of humidity from springs in the vine ground, that 
the delicate flavor of the wines of St. Julien is to be ascribed.”— 
p. 78. 
Mr. Fisher evidently took much pains to acquire such information 
in regard to the culture of the vine as might prove useful to his 
countrymen; and in this we think he has been successful: for if the 
foreign vine does not ultimately succeed with us, we have native va¬ 
rieties which, with the care bestowed by the European vigneron, 
will thrive, and produce as good wine as we ordinarily import. Mr. 
Fisher’s book affords much needed information in regard to the cul¬ 
ture of the grape, and the process of manufacturing it into wine. 
We recommend the work with confidence to such as stand in need 
of this information, as one of the best guides that has fallen under 
our observation. B. 
Protecting Seed Corn from Birds, «fc .— -We record the follow¬ 
ing fact now, lest it may be forgotten at a more proper time, and as 
affording demonstrative proof, that tar will protect seed corn from 
crows and other birds. 
In planting my corn, the seed was prepared as described in the 
second number of the Cultivator. Some days after planting, it was 
discovered that an entire row had been omitted. This was planted 
with untarred seed. On hoeing the crop, it was found that almost 
every spear of grain in this row had been pulled up by the birds, 
while not a hill of the tarred corn, on each side of it, had been 
touched. I do not employ scare-crows , or other expedients, to keep 
the birds from my fields. B. 
Dairy Husbandry .— We have received an interesting letter from 
Ephraim Perkins, of South Trenton, upon this subject; and he 
has proffered a detailed statement of this branch of husbandry for 
publication in the Cultivator, which we respectfully solicit him to 
forward. The dairy district to which Mr. Perkins refers, consists 
of the second tier of towns lying north of and running parallel with 
the Mohawk river, in the counties of Herkimer and Oneida. Such 
has been the progress of the dairy business in that section of 
country, occasioned in a measure by the facilities of transportation 
offered by the canal, that the quantity of cheese sent to foreign mar¬ 
kets, has increased, since the completion of the canals, from 70 to 
1,300 tons ; and a district, which was before nearly stationary in im¬ 
provement and wealth, has advanced in nearly a like ratio in popu¬ 
lation and improvement. We should be pleased to receive from 
Mr. Perkins a detailed statement of the process of making the dif¬ 
ferent sorts of cheese, and his estimate of the profits of the dairy 
business. Many of our counties upon the head waters of our 
streams are well adapted to the dairy and cattle husbandry, and 
will be thus profitably appropriated, as soon as the lumber has been 
got rid of. Lumbering and fishing are incompatible with good farm¬ 
ing, and too often with good habits. Exclusive reliance upon the 
artificial products of the farm, begets a salutary competition, and 
leads rapidly to improvement and wealth. 
Hay-Spreading Machine.- —We have just seen in operation, at 
the farm of Gen. Van Rensselaer, a machine for spreading, stirring, 
and turning hay, invented and patented by Capt. Joab Centre, of 
Hudson, once of the ocean, but now of the land, and for some years 
an excellent practical farmer. The machine is of simple construc¬ 
tion, is attached to a pair of wheels, and drawn by a horse. It 
seemed to do its work well, and promises to be a valuable acqui¬ 
sition, in saving labor, and in facilitating the curing of hay. The 
machine may be seen in operation during the haying season, at 
General Van Rensselaer’s farm, and at the Captain’s farm, near 
Hudson. 
We shall hereafter be more particular in noticing this machine, 
nnd in describing other new farm implements which have fallen un¬ 
der our notice, calculated to facilitate the labors of the farm. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Buffalo, May 26, 1834. 
My Dear Sir —I have for a long time intended writing you on 
more subjects than one, connected with our State Agricultural So¬ 
ciety, the establishment of an agricultural institute, &c. &c. but my 
engagements have been so continual and pressing for the last six 
months, that I have had far too little time to spare on the subject so 
near my mind as the improvement of our state agriculture. I did 
indeed hope, after reading with much pleasure Governor Marcy’s 
sentiments on the establishment of a permanent institution for the 
improvement of our farmers, that some decisive measures would be 
taken by both branches of the legislature, to place the subject in a 
right view, and to act upon it; but I confess to you my utter disap¬ 
pointment, on reading the reports of the committees to whom the 
subject was referred. But we must not despair. Another effort 
may be attended with success; and if so, much of it will result from 
your own long and continued efforts to attain it. 
I observe by the published proceedings of the State Agricultural 
Society in February last, that they have chosen me one of its vice- 
presidents, an honor to which I have little claim, and am indebted 
vastly more to the kind feelings and confidence of my friends in the 
society than to any merit of my own. My agricultural experience 
has been as yet limited, although my observation has been constant 
and somewhat varied ; and if I can in any way render my humble 
mite of service to the cause of the farmers, I shall be happy. I fear 
our influential men, and those of capital and large landed estates, take 
too little interest in the subject. In order to set the minds of be 
great body of our husbandmen upon inquiry, the subject must be 
brought home to every farmer of influence and observation. Exam¬ 
ple is every thing, and unless those who lead will take a strong 
and vigorous hold, I fear little will be done in this very necessary 
work. 
I have received a few numbers of “ The Cultivator,” which pleas¬ 
ed me much. It cannot be too highly recommended, and it is got up 
in a form and at a price so perfectly unobjectionable, and withal so 
useful and appropriate to the common farmer, and indeed to every 
one who cultivates even a garden, that it should readily commend it¬ 
self to the attention of all. I enclose you five dollars to pay my ar¬ 
rears as a member of the State Agricultural Society, and for a copy 
of the Cultivator, which please to order directed to me from the 
commencement. I truly feel ashamed that I have not sooner or¬ 
dered it, and taken a deeper interest than I have done to procure it 
subscribers and circulation : but I have only to plead as before my 
extreme confinement to business. I hope hereafter to have more 
leisure to attend to those matters, which, though apparently tri¬ 
fling in themselves, yet may, and do often lead to important re- 
suits. 
I have spent a considerable share of the past winter and spring 
on Grand Island, which you will probably recollect, a few gentlemen 
of Boston and myself purchased last fall. I have been busily em¬ 
ployed with a large number of men in erecting a steam saw-mill to 
cut up the immense quantity of valuable white oaks which grow 
there, for the eastern market, for which they will afford many years 
supply. We have built up a snug little log- city on the eastern shore, 
which we call Whitehaven. It stands on a pretty bluff immediately 
on the bank of the Niagara, a bold, sweeping, clear stream, and di¬ 
rectly opposite the Erie canal. We have also got out, and they are 
now about being shipped by the canal, the frames and timbers of 
three large merchant ships, to go to Boston, there to be put up and 
finished. Thus you see that the oaks of our western forests, which 
were a few years since consumed as a worthless incumbrance on 
our soil, are now an article of export more valuable than the soil on 
which they grow. We have on the island about 16,000 acres, near- 
ly the whole of it, and I think the finest body of land lying together 
that I have seen in the state. 
We are clearing up and getting under cultivation a large, and 
what will be in a few years, a very fine farm. It lies upon the river 
where it makes out in a large bay, and within sight of the villages 
of Black Rock and Waterloo. Here we are laying down a consi¬ 
derable quantity of meadow by stocking with oats, peas, wheat, bar¬ 
ley, &c. Our lands here are very strong, and will retain the grasses 
sowed upon them and turn off heavy crpps for many years without 
ploughing. I spend as much of my time as possible at the farm, 
(and I confess to you by far the pleasantest portion of it,) in setting 
the fruit trees, regulating the fences, looking at my cattle and pigs. I 
