THE CULTIVATOR. 
85 
of the human m:nd, the great lever which aids, abridges and supersedes hu¬ 
man labor. 
4. The organization of the State Society is very similar to that of a county 
society, the names of its officers will be lound in No. 1 of the present Vol. of 
the Cultivator; its members amount to one hundred or more, belonging to dif¬ 
ferent parts of the state—they are required to pay an entrance fee ot one dol¬ 
lar, and an annual contribution of two dollars, and are entitled to the publi¬ 
cations of tlie society. These contributions, with about an equal amount from 
the avails of the Cultivator, constitute the funds of the society, and are suf¬ 
ficient to defray its ordinary expenses. Its benefits have not been equal to 
the wishes of its members, or their hopes of the future. It has however done 
much to diffuse useful information, particularly through the Cultivator, which 
is exclusively devoted to the interests of the farmer—15,000 copies of which 
are printed monthly. It gave, probably, the first efficient impulse to the silk 
culture among us, by the gratuitous distribution of mulberry seed in all the 
counties of the state, and by calling the public attention to this branch of rural 
labor. It has endeavored to induce the organization of county societies;—and 
to direct legislative attention to agriculture, as the primary interest, the great 
business of the state, and as especially entitled to the fostering care of the 
public functionaries. Persuaded that the prosperity and happiness of a peo¬ 
ple depend not so much upon the learning and wealth of a few, as upon the 
intelligence, domestic virtues and independence of the many,—it has peti¬ 
tioned for a participation in the public bounty, for the establishment of schools 
for instructing young farmers in the higher branches of learning,—of imbuing 
their minds with those principles of science which have a controlling influ¬ 
ence in every branch of human labor, and of instructing them, thoroughly, 
in the practical operations of the farm. But as the society had neither politi¬ 
cal influence, nor personal considerations, the tenders w Inch seem to possess 
the greatest int.insic value, to offer in exchange for what they deemed com¬ 
mon justice, the prayer of their petitions was unheeded, and almost unno¬ 
ticed. They then applied for common corporate privileges, seldom denied to 
any applicants, to enable an association to establish a school'of theoretical and 
practical agriculture. This also failed, or we should probably, ere this, have 
seen the stock taken up, and preparations making to put the plan into efficient 
operation. But though the society has been crossed by disappointment, and 
depressed by apathy, it has neither abated its wishes to do good, nor its hopes 
of ultimate success. When its motives are better understood, and the ad¬ 
vantages, which may result from its labors better appreciated, the expecta¬ 
tion is indulged, that a more liberal policy towards the society and its plans, 
will be manifested both by the legislature and the community at large, and 
that its labors will result in much good, in the political, moral, and pecunia¬ 
ry improvement our state. 
5. .agricultural societies arc believed to exist, or have recently been or¬ 
ganized, in the counties of Jefferson, Monroe, Onondaga, Oswego, Rensse¬ 
laer, Columbia, Albany, Nevv-York, Essex and Clinton. And it may not be 
irrelevant to add, that in Massachusetts, Ohio and Indiana there are numer¬ 
ous societies, sustained in part by legislative patronage, and that in most of 
the other states societies are multiplying, with encouraging prospects of pub¬ 
lic usefulness. We are not in possession, at present, of the plans of organi¬ 
zation, or of the names of the officers, of the county societies of our state, 
though we doubt not both may be readily obtained, by consulting the agri¬ 
cultural journals, or by applying to the post masters of the county towns in 
which they have been organized. 
6. We advise, in reply, to the last query, that the “ young farmer” should 
draw up a caption for an association, obtain to it the signatures, and enlist in 
the project the leelings and the services, of a dozen or twenty, or more, kin¬ 
dred-spirits; adopt a constitution and by-laws; and under a consciousness that 
be is not only doing a certain good to himself, but benefitting his neighbors, 
let him and them resolve not to remit their reasonable exertions till they have 
accomplished their object. Though there may be many members, few me¬ 
nage's are most efficient in organizing and sustaining a society. Where the 
responsibility rests upon all, none are willing voluntarily to assume it. Should 
this recommendation be followed, “Oneida” may count finely upon the aid 
of our pen. 
THE FOOT ROT. 
The following remedy for the foot rot in sheep, I believe has not 
before been published; it is considered an effectual remedy against 
that troublesome complaint, and has hitherto been sold for $5 per 
receipt. I have used it this present season to remove the complaint 
in a Hock, which last year had it so severe, that I lost many of them, 
and on which I exhausted every remedy, ever heard or read of, 
without effect. Two applications has entirely removed the com¬ 
plaint. 
3 qts. alcohol, 1 pt. spts. turpentine, 1 pt. strong vinegar, 1 lb. 
b'ue vitriol, 1 lb. copperas, 1| lbs. verdigris, 1 lb. alum, 1 lb. salt 
petre, pounded fine; mix in a close bottle, shake every day, and let 
stand for six or eight days before using. Also, mix 2 lbs. honey 
with 2 qts. tar, and after paring the hoof diseased, apply the com¬ 
pound, then put on the tar and honey. S. 
TICKS ON LAMBS. 
J. Buel, Esq.—Sir—In your last number, I noticed a method 
of destroying the ticks on lambs. I have for several years adopted 
the same means, only I have added a small quantity of corrosive 
sublimate, which is still more effectual; and also in connection 
with the tobacco, a preventive against the scab. But I have pur¬ 
sued a different method in applying the compound from that of 
Judge Bostwick, which is to boil a sufficient quantity of tobacco in 
a potash kettle, adding when hot the corrosive sublimate, say 1 lb. 
to 300 sheep. Put out the fire, and when sufficiently cool, I erect 
a platform on one side of the kettle, so constructed, that after 
plunging the sheep and placing it on the platform, the liquid will 
all run back into the kettle, I then press it out of the wool. I 
have been in the habit of applying the wash to all my sheep, young 
and old, as it will destroy the nits, and the sheep made healthier 
and the quality and quantity of wool perceptibly increased. Three 
men in this manner, one to catch and the others to plunge the 
sheep, can wash 500 in a day. S. 
JYelson JY. F., July 21. 
ON AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENT. 
Plainfield, Mass. June , 1835. 
Among the many objects upon which great improvements are 
made at the present day, it is cheering to consider that agriculture 
is also receiving much attention. True it. is, that this is a subject 
which has been too much neglected. We have followed our pre¬ 
decessors. As our fathers and grand fathers did, so have we done. 
We have long followed them in their steps, without ever suppos¬ 
ing that their ways could be altered for the better. And it is aston¬ 
ishing to consider that while enterprise is the great characteristic 
of the Yankees, they have remained so long satisfied with travel¬ 
ling in the steps of their forefathers. But so it is, at least so it 
has been in this part of the country. But while some yet continue 
in the practice of their forefathers, others have left their tracks, 
and aie now beginning to make experiments for themselves. The 
method of cultivating the soil that has been practised in this vicin¬ 
ity, that was handed down to us by generations that have gone be¬ 
fore us, and which some of our farmers yet continue to practise, is 
the following : In the first place, a man to be called a farmer, 
must have a large farm. This is divided into lots for mowing and 
pasturing. The pastures are left to take care of themselves, and 
since they were cleared, have seldom or never been disturbed by 
the plough. Of course they now produce but very little, and that 
not of the best quality. 
But this is good husbandry, compared with the practice of ma¬ 
ny of our farmers, with their mowing lots. With one class of our 
farmers, it has been the practice to till far too much land, and that 
quantity of manure that ought to be put on one acre, is put on 
three. After planting several seasons, it is sown with some kind 
of grain, without manure, till the soil becomes exhausted to such 
a degree, that it hardly compensates the laborer for his toil. It is 
then thought to be in a good condition to put to grass. 
This is one instance of the mismanagement of farmers in this re¬ 
gion, and the natural consequence is, that land has greatly de¬ 
creased in value. Many farms have been worn out to such a de¬ 
gree, that the owners have been under the necessity of removing 
to Ihe more fertile lands of Ohio. But though most of the farmers 
have for a long time practised this method of their forefathers, 
though their minds for a long time have been prejudiced against 
every thing contrary to what their predecessors taught them, yet 
it is pleasing and cheering to wutness, notwithstanding many con¬ 
tinue to practise the old methods, that some are laying them aside, 
and beginning to act with unbiased and unprejudiced minds. It is 
truly gratifying to witness the improvements that are made at the 
present day in agriculture, and though we do not expect to plant 
and hoe, or raise our crops by steam or water power, yet we be¬ 
lieve improvements in agriculture have but just commenced. It is 
gratifying also to consider how much is written at this day on this 
subject ; how many periodicals are published and distributed in our 
land, when but a few years ago such a publication could scarcely 
be found. And it is cheering to see, that such publications are now 
read by many with unpredjnced minds. The time has been, when 
if a person read a periodical on this subject, and was influenced by 
it to deviate in the least from the customs and practices of his 
forefathers, he would be despised and ridiculed. I have seen the 
man, who, when told by his more enlightened brother farmer, his 
method of raising corn, would sneer at him for getting his opinions 
from the newspapers. 
But how strange it is, that the farmer has remained so long de¬ 
luded ; how strange that they have remained so long blind and 
