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THE CULTIVATOR. 
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44 
if they could Lave the choice, leave the old for the new laid pas¬ 
ture. 
But why is it, that our most wealthy farmers protest that they 
make property faster now, than they did when they raised grain ? 
For a very plain reason—they say one thing, and do another.— 
They say they raise cattle and make profit by it—but it is not so; 
they buy their cattle reared—.winter them perhaps one winter, and 
sell them at a profit,—and why I Because they began the world 
with some capital, or have been fortunate enough to pay for their 
farms, while they were raising grain, and thereby became able to 
make additions to their farms, and to stock them with cattle, and 
so receive a handsome income without taking into considera'ion 
the amount of capital employed. I have no exceptions to make to 
this way of farming, because one man is richer than another; bui 
this doctrine will not do to preach to a man that has not yet capi¬ 
tal to stock his farm, and must support his family from his farm. 
If this state is ever made to support its man on every rood, I am 
sure that it will not be by cattle husbandry, nor by sheep, but by 
the highest state of agriculture, and principally by gram-growing, 
with a proper proportion of cattle, when every thing is brought 
into requisition that the lights of science has and will unfold, and 
made to bear on the culture of the soil; then not unlikely may our 
fields compare with the fields of any country on the same parallel 
of latitude. I trust the time is not far distant when the objections 
that the farmer cannot get manure for his land will not be heard. 
If the above should find its way into the Cultivator, I should feel 
rewarded if some one who has time and ability, should lend their 
aid, through its columns, in support of grain-growing, for I find 
there is much said in every number of the Cultivator on the breed¬ 
ing of cattle and sheep. It is time for the grain-grower to lend 
his aid. D. S. OLIN. 
In the last number of the first volume of the Cultivator, there is 
a partial account of making sugar from potatoes. “ A certain 
quantity of sulphuric acid or vitriol is then mixed with it,” as stat¬ 
ed in the Cultivator. Please to say in what proportions. “ This 
is to be purified from the acid by adding quick lim- Also what 
proportion of lime and what the probable cost per cwt.. You will 
oblige a friend by giving information on the above subject.* 
Yours, T. D. OLIN, P. M. 
* We are unable to respond to these queries. 
J. Buel, Esq.— Sir —I wish to inquire, through the medium of 
the “ Cultivator,” whether the common red clover is hurtful to an 
orchard. As l have no experience on this point, and wish to seed 
an orchard during the current year, it is my desire to proceed un- 
ders'andingly. I have somewhere seen it stated, that it was not 
hurtful to an orchard to seed with clover: provided, however, it 
was turned under in the course of two or three years. Your own 
experience and opinion are respectfully solicited. 
I am informed that, for a field crop, you prefer the China Bean. 
The prevalent opinion in this district of country is, that no beans 
are saleable except the white. Does the China Bean command as 
high a price, as an article of merchandize, as the white, or any 
other 1 I will also inquire—does plaister benefit the bean crop 1 
Have the goodness to instruct the readers of the Cultivator in 
relation to the culture of carrots. What soil, and what prepara¬ 
tion of soil do they require—when and how sown, and what atten¬ 
tion must be given between sowing and harvesting. 
Respectfully, &.c. A. Z. 
Saratoga County , 25 th March , 1835. 
REPLY OF THE CONDUCTOR. 
Wo do not think red clover prejudicial to an orchard. It is not so exhaust- 
ingas other crops, though it is true, it derives its nourishment from that part 
of the s >il where the roots of the trees penetrate, more than ordinary crops. 
Yet it is calculated, by its roots, which seldom abide more than two seasons, 
to divide and mellow the soil, and thereby render it more permeable to the 
roots of the trees. Such are the opinions we have formed from experience and 
reflection. 
Our preference for the China, over the white bean, as a field crop, arises 
from several causes: 1. It is intrinsically the richest and best bean; 2. It 
ripens early, arid comes off in time for a crop of winter grain; 3. We think it 
gives the best crop; and 4. It brings us the best price. Yet we ought in can¬ 
dor to add, that it requires the best ground. The white bean will grow where 
this will starve. The while bean is the most saleable. We think plaister 
may benefit the bean crop; and recommend that it be sown at the rate of a 
bushel to the acre, before the last ploughing for the crop. 
The carrot is undoubtedly among the most productive crops, and we think 
it one of the most expensive ones, on account af the great labor it requires in 
hand-weeding, ami before the plants inquire much size. The soil which it 
prefers, is a rich moist loam, which should be ploughed deep, and well ma¬ 
nured. The seeds must be sown hy the hand, as the drill barn vv w ill not 
scatter them equally. The preferable way is, alter the ground is well pulver¬ 
ized and levelled, to stretch a garden line, the longer the better, draw a shal¬ 
low drill w ith the hoe, scatter the seed in the drill, cover lightly, and j.ress 
the earth upon the covered seed, with a hoe or roller. The drills may be twelve 
to eighteen inches apart. They may be sown early in May. The ruta-baga 
is sown the last of June, or first of July. The labor on the carro’ crop before 
the first of July, is more than is required for the whole turnip crop, and there 
is no great difference in the product or value of the two crops. 
Cunaan-Centre, March 23 d, 1835. 
Sir —-As the great object of the Cultivator is to disseminate use¬ 
ful knowledge among farmers, from various sources, and as its co¬ 
lumns are open to all, it is a source of regiet to me that amongst 
your numerous list of subscribers, more have not improved such 
an important medium of communication, to make public the result 
of their experiments, and their partial knowledge in relation to the 
great work of agriculture. The field is certainly extensive; as 
there is no subject within its range the description of which would 
not be useful to some ; and the views of the practical farmers, de¬ 
rived from observations or from experiments in the science, would 
benefit all. The aversion of many farmers to experiments in hus¬ 
bandry, renders it more important that those who try them, or ac¬ 
quire any thing new or useful in any way, should make it public, 
that the weight of testimony may be such as to remove doubt from 
all minds; so when any thing is advanced that admits of doubt, or 
is contrary to the opinions of others, a discussion of the subject 
would give all an opportunity to judge more correctly. In the Ja¬ 
nuary number of the Cultivator, I noticed a communication signed 
Amateur, giving a description of some old fashioned Merino sheep, 
which were undoubtedly very superior ones, and such as anv wool 
grower might be proud of possessing; but he makes a quotation 
from a correspondent of his, which does not accord with my view 
of the subject. His correspondent says, “ sheep of the above de¬ 
scription ate now very scarce, and will soon be in great demand, 
for all wool growers are aiming at small fine fleeces, whose con¬ 
stitution will not stand severe wet and exposure 1o cold, and thinks 
nothing but a resort to the old fashioned merino will help i .” My 
object in noticing this, is to correct an impress on which it has a 
tendency to make on the minds of some, that Saxony sheep must 
eventually give place to merinos. My opinion is, that a judicious 
cross of Saxony on merino is nearly as great an improvement as 
merino on native, and should not be abandoned by wool growers 
on the scale of profit, as I believe a flock of merinos may be so im¬ 
proved by a Saxony cross, as to make the wool worth from fifteen 
to twenty cents per pound more, without a corresponding deficien¬ 
cy in weight. I arrive at this conclusion not by any visionary 
calculation, but by the result of actual experience, having for the 
last six years greatly improved my flock by a Saxony cross with¬ 
out any diminution in weight. There is undoubtedly a great fault 
with wool growers in the selection of bucks, either from want of 
judgment, or attention, or from fear of expense; and the scarcity 
of Saxony bucks has brought into use all that have been imported, 
or raised, whether they had good qualities or not; this has had a 
tendency to depreciate the value of them, and should be guarded 
against; good qualities being as essential in them as in other ani¬ 
mals intended for breeding. Any breed of sheep may be greatly 
improved by good management, though mere easily depreciated by 
bad. No one supposes but what merinos are far superior to native, 
and to cross them is a great improvement: yet I recollect when 
merinos were first introduced into the country, the same objections 
.vere made to them that are now made to Saxony; and the remark, 
that Saxonys have more delicate constitutions than heavy fleeced 
merinos, and will not endure wet and cold as well, is true, and is 
an evidence of the superior quality of the fleece, and admonishes 
the wool grower, that they may be kept from dampness from any 
source; without this precaution any sheep’s fleece will grow coarse 
and harsher. Such ewes as Amateur describes, their fleeces weigh- 
ing 4| lbs. would cross with a good Saxony buck to great profit, 
and would produce far better stock in my opinion, than his merino 
bucks, on Saxony ewes, or on ewes of the same breed. 
As the season for shearing sheep is at hand, and as I have no¬ 
ticed a great difference in the appearance of different lots of wool 
of similar quality, owing to different management, I suppose a few 
