98 THE CULTIVATOR. 
mid. The duration of a variety, in perfection, is generally computed at from 
14 to 20 years, though this period is sometimes prolonged by a change of soil 
or climate. The nutritious properties of the potato have been proved to vary 
from 14 to 28 per cent in different species. Those abounding most in nutri¬ 
ment are invariably the best not only for the table, but for farm stock ; but 
they seldom il ever exceed a medium size, and are less productive than c«arse 
kinds. Hence as buyers make little or no distinction, tire grower finds it most 
profitable to raise the latter. 
CONDITIONED HUSBANDRY IN THE VALLEY OF THE 
MOHAWK. 
Palatine Bridge, 2\st Aug 1835. 
Dear Sir—Have yon white Mulberry trees (Morus Alba) in your nurse¬ 
ry? And at what price can I obtain say 100? What is the proper period 
for setting them out? [We have the white mulberry at $5 per hundred. 
They may be planted in the spring or summer.] 
I have prepared a seed bed; and I propose while the young trees are 
growing, to set out a few, that I may, upon a small scale, learn the art of 
i. anaging the worms. 
I continue to receive and read the “ Cultivator;” and I can assure you 
that the information I have derived from it, has been in the highest degree 
serviceable to me in my farming operations. Could this valuable periodi¬ 
cal be generally ditiused and read by the farmers in this region, I am well 
satisfied that it would contribute more than any one thing to make this one 
of the most flourishing agricultural districts in the state. There can be no 
better soil than that lound in the valley of the Mohawk, and the adjacent 
country, on both sides of the river. But it is a tact, that the great majo¬ 
rity of our fanners, so far from improving the advantages that nature has 
conferred upon them, and being in a thriving condition, are retrogading. 
They are so wedded to the “ old system,” that it is extremely difficult to 
make them believe that there is a better one. And although their lands 
are becoming less and less productive every succeeding year, they still 
believe themselves masters of their profession. Suggestions about im¬ 
proved farming are regarded with distrust; and he who attempts to teach 
doctrines at variance with their received opinions, must expect to meet 
with no very welcome reception; and should he have the moral courage 
to pronounce their opinions and practice altogether wrong, and in the end 
promising nothing but bankruptcy and ruin, he would be regarded as a de¬ 
ranged man. To these general remarks, there aie some exceptions, and 
I am well satisfied that these exceptions would very soon compose the 
majority, if the “ Cultivator” should be diffused and its suggestions adopt¬ 
ed. Then the very individuals whose business, there can be no doubt, 
does not now pay them four per cent upon their capital, would find that 
their investments were producing a nett annual income of from ten to 
fourteen. 
I think I am safe in saying, that the lands in my immediate neighbor¬ 
hood are w orth at least twenty-five per cent less for agricultural purposes 
at this day, than they were ten years ago. Crop aftercrop, and that with¬ 
out much regard to rotation, has been taken from them till they have be¬ 
come exhausted; and the consequence is, that instead of abundant har¬ 
vests, the husbandman’s toil is usually rew arded with but a scanty increase 
—I mean a scanty increase, in comparison to what it should be, when the 
quantity of land and the amount of labor are taken into the account.— 
Many of our farmers, to be sure, raise large crops, but in most instances, 
where this is the case, it will be lound, judging from what has been done 
under a proper system of management, that these same crops should have 
been taken from one-third of the quantity of land that actually produced 
them; and what the consequence must be jn a few years more, if ihis ru¬ 
inous system is continued, it is no difficult matter to determine. The 
same system, if it was universal, would bringruin upon the nation. Who¬ 
ever then shall, either by his pen or his practice, contribute any thing to 
exterminate the evil, will be justly entitled to the appellation of a public 
benefactor. 
But I have spun out my epistle to a length I did not at all anticipate 
when I sat down to make inquiries about mulberry trees. You will how¬ 
ever excuse me, as agriculture is a subject upon which we feel a common 
interest. 
I think I shall ere long be able to send you a list of subscribers for the 
Cultivator. I have spoken to several individuals on the subject, and they 
have promised to take it. Respectfully yours, 
JOHN FREY. 
By the Conductor.— We are in doubt whether Mr. Frey intended his let¬ 
ter for publication ; but it contains such just remarks in regard to the apathy of 
our farmers as to the benefits of modern improvements in husbandry, and the 
deteriorating effects upon our farms of the old system of management, that 
we feel justified in giving it publicity. 
UNDER-DRAINING—CORN. 
Greenwich, Ct. Aug. 21, 1835. 
Sir—As a subscriber to the Cultivator, I am satisfied that it is calculated 
to advance the interest of the piactical farmer. 
I am willing to contribute my mite to help forward the improvement of 
the farmer’s mind and soil. If you have aspare number for April, I should 
feel obliged if you would send me one, as none were received at the post- 
office in this place of that number. 
I am satisfied that the mode of under draining recommended in the 
March number, is correct as respects springs. But there is another case 
somewhat different. I refer to the oozing near shelving rocks, after hea¬ 
vy rains. In this case it is important to place the drains in such a manner 
as to prepare the ground to receive the greatest quantity of water possible. 
This is done by making the drains as near level with the outlet as possible; 
and thus removing the standing water to a considerable depth, say four or 
five feet. 
In Mr. Clark’s table, showing the produce of corn at different distances, 
the kind of corn planted is not stated. This is a very important point its 
the culture of corn, as some kinds require near double the distance of 
others. The kind I have planted for 35 years, I think will yield most at 
about five feet distance between the hills each way, where the ground is 
very rich. On our common land, without manure, I wish to plant ftorn 
three feet nine inches, to four feet each way. This kind is the large eight 
row dented-yellow. I suppose I haye had 80 bushels of shelled corn f:om 
an acre without manure; but this is not common. We call from 40 up¬ 
wards, a good crop. As I have never made any nice experiments and 
measurements, I do not pretend to precision. 
But the particular point to which I would call the attention of my broth¬ 
er farmers, is the selection of seed corn. In the June number of the Cul¬ 
tivator, is an article headed, “ The Corn Crop,” stating a number of ex¬ 
periments and observations. An observation on the 2d experiment, is 
that to which I would turn the attention of all, that it may be fully tested. 
The observation to which I allude, supposes that the particular kind there 
mentioned, although the most prolific, had “ deteriorated by planting 
from inferior ears.” 
Now I wish every farmer that takes the Cultivator, would go into his 
corn-field as soon as the corn is generally too hard to boil or when the for- 
W'ardest ears begin to turn yellow, with two baskets, and select from the 
stalks that bear two ears each, putting the upper ear in one basket, and 
ihe lower one in the other, leaving the husk on till he brings the com 
home, them strip up the husk and either tie them across a pole or braid 
them into a trace, as some term it, and next spring plant each separate; 
note exactly the produce of each, and give the result to the conductor of 
the Cultivator. I have tried it on a small scale some twenty-five years 
ago, and am satisfied for mysell; but I have found that telling my experi¬ 
ments is not so good a way as to induce others to try; then they will know. 
JAMES MEAD. 
Enfield, Ct. Aug. 18,1835. 
Dear Sir—I have now growing on my lot 2 or 300 Quince bushes, some 
in a bearing state, when not injured by frosts, but mostly quite small. 1 
have been looking for some information in the papers respecting trimming 
them, by some person who had made a sufficient trial to know whether 
best to trim or not. I find where I have thinned them at the bottom, the 
new sprouts come out two or three fold in number. 1 am yet a lit!le short 
of sixty, but think, however, I am not too old to learn from your valuable 
paper, when it treats upon the small things in farming, such as I do. 
Very respectfully, yours, GEER TERRY. 
By the Conductor. —The Quince is sometimes trained on a single stem; 
but the better and more common way is to train two, three or four stocks from 
the same root. The shrub requires very little pruning, except the removal of 
dead wood, superfluous sprouts and branches that are likely to cross ar.d inter¬ 
fere with each other. Vv e advise to prune in July, to prevent the mtiliiphca- 
tion of sprouts. Dead wood may be removed at any season. We advise our 
correspondent to bud a part of his stocks with butter or melting pears, as 
dwarfs. It Improves the quality of many kinds, and brings them early into 
a bearing state. 
Sandisfield, Mass. June 28, 1S35. 
Mr. Bcel,— Sir—The opinion seems well established, that the sheep 
worm or grub which occasions the annual loss of large numbers of fine 
sheep, is generated by the deposite of the eggs of a fly on or in thenostris 
of the sheep during the hot months; but I have been led to doubt the 
fact—and hope some of the observing breeders and w'ool growers will as¬ 
certain the present season, if the eggs of the fly are, or are not deposited 
in a thin cavity near the eye. If my suspicions prove true, I trust the in¬ 
ventive skill of Yankees, or others, will not be long in devising a remedy 
as efficient, at least, as tar on the nose. Very respectfully, &c. 
GEO. HULL. 
Canaan Centre, Aug. 10 th, 18;>5. 
J. Buel, Esq.—Sir—I trouble you with this note to solicit information 
as to the best method of making and preserving cider; and as there are 
different ways of managing, I think the publication in the Cultivator, of 
some of the most approved modes, would be useful to many of your sub¬ 
scribers as well as to myself. Yours respectfully, 
[For answer see p. 90 ] DANIEL S. CURTIS. 
“ Education —A better safeguard for liberty than a standing army. If 
w’e retrench the wages of the school-master, wrn must raise the wages of 
the recruiting sergeant .”—Edward Everett's Toast. 
