1854 . 
THE CULTIVATOR 
17 
man sent an ordered box of plants to a resident of 
western New-York, directed to be sent “by theirs? 
wagon from New-York city”—a distance of some 3 or 
400 miles !! Not even so intelligent as this, is the sup¬ 
position that the American nation consisted of a few 
individuals who assembled on the sea-shore and saw 
the Scotchman land with his model—instead of the 
fact, that many millions were scattered over a territo¬ 
ry a thousand miles in extent, and that a hundred- 
thousandth part of this immense multitude would not 
be likely ever to get a glimpse of the model. 
But suppose they had all seen it; and had afterwards 
succeeded in putting reaping machines into successful 
operation; to whom is the most credit to be award¬ 
ed,—to those who merely propose; or to those who 
conquer the innumerable difficulties of successful in¬ 
troduction'? The Marquis of Worcester proposed the 
steam-engine, but the credit is awarded to Newcomen 
and Watt, who reduced the thing to practice. Steam¬ 
boats were not only proposed but actually made, long 
before Fulton rendered them practically useful; yet 
no one thinks of giving the credit to any man but Ful¬ 
ton. Cast-plows were long ago proposed and made; 
but to Wood belongs the entire credit of such a form 
as to bring them into successful use. While Fulton’s 
experiment was yet doubtful, the odium of a visionary 
attempt, as it was thought, was cast upon him from all 
quarters, and all were willing to allow him the exclu¬ 
sive claim; when he triumphed, “ others had thought 
of the same thing before.” While Wood was contend¬ 
ing with extraordinary difficulties, all were willing to 
accord to him the reproach of attempting the construc¬ 
tion of plows of “brittle and worthless pot-rrpetal 
when success crowned his efforts, then there were plen¬ 
ty of claimants for the honor. So with the reaper; 
when it stood in an obscure comer of the Glass Palace, 
an object of ridicule, the Yankees were allowed the en¬ 
tire merit of the invention; when it was afterwards 
sold by hundreds through Britain,—then, Bell the 
Scotchman invented it i 
Now, what are the real merits of this same machine 
of Bell’s, as compared with the American reapers? 
Bell’s is admitted by the English writers to be as heavy 
of draught, from its own weight, as a cart heavily load¬ 
ed with stones, and so far as cutting is concerned, is 
very much the same as Rugg’s Propeller, which failed 
entirely at the Geneva trial; it had not, so far as we 
can learn, ever been used by half a dozen farmers, un¬ 
til Hussey’s and McCormick’s opened the way for its 
wider trial. At the same time, thousands of the Amer¬ 
ican reapers had been used for years in this country, 
and proved eminently useful. The one, had never 
passed the boundary of a single farm; the others were 
known throughout half the Union. Under these cir¬ 
cumstances, which was really the machine for practi¬ 
cal use ? And who deserves the credit of reducing the 
reaping machine, known in some shape or other even 
as far back as the days of Pliny, to a form for general 
utility? 
In making these remarks, we disclaim any wish oth¬ 
er than to place the matter in its true light, without 
regard to national boundaries; and still more do we 
disclaim any approval of the acrimonious and discre¬ 
ditable controversies in which some of our countrymen 
have taken part in the British agricultural journals. 
Importation of Horses into New Brunswick. 
Wo stated sometime last summer, that the Province 
of New-Brunswick had made an appropriation to the 
several district Agricultural Societies, on condition that 
they raised an equal amount by subscription, for the 
purpose of importing such horses as should be deemed 
best calculated to improve the breeds of the Province. 
The funds having been raised, our correspondent, Dr. 
W. A. Cuming, veterinary surgeon, of St. John, was 
sent out to Great Britain to make the selection and 
purchases. Mr. C. purchased eight very valuable 
horses, and arrived at St. John, on his return, on the 
18th of October, in the Eudoeia, from Liverpool, with 
five of the animals, three having perished in a hurri¬ 
cane, which was encountered when the vessel was eight 
days out. Those received, however, showed no signs of 
hard usage ; and they are, says a St. John paper, cer¬ 
tainly noble specimens of the different breeds, and do 
much credit to Mr. Cuming’s skill and judgment. 
Destroying Brakes or Perns. 
Being a constant reader of the Country Gentleman , 
and having an ardent desire to gain information, I 
would inquire through your columns, the best method 
of killing brakes on stony and rocky lands which can¬ 
not be plowed or cultivated. D. C. L. j Essex, Vt. 
We have no practical experience in this matter, and 
could recommend nothing better than to grub them up 
by hand, which would be next to impossible where they 
are very abundant. We question if there is any “ royal 
road ” to their destruction ; but our correspondents who 
have more practical knowledge, can perhaps furnish 
something valuable. 
Smut in Wheat. 
Messes. Editors —Please inform me as to the sup¬ 
posed cause of smut in wheat, and a preventive or re¬ 
medy.—G. Marion Co., 0. T-, Sept. 1853. 
Smut in wheat is a fungus or cryptogamous plant 
like the mushroom, which grows in the grain and con¬ 
sumes it. It may be very easily and effectually pre¬ 
vented by washing the seed well, then washing it in 
brine, and finally rolling it in powdered or air-slacked 
lime. Even washing, alone, if thoroughly done, will 
nearly remove the smut. 
South Down Sheep. 
Can you or some of your numerous subscribers inform 
me, through the pages of the Cultivator, where I can 
get the full blooded South Down sheep, and what they 
will eost a pair ?—S. D. Jefferson co., Ind. 
South Down sheep can be procured of L. G. Morris, 
Fordham, Westchester county, N. Y.; Col. J. M. Sher¬ 
wood, Auburn, N. Y.; Z. B. Wakeman, Little Falls, 
N. Y.; and several other breeders in this state. The 
prices vary from $20 to $100 or more per pair, accord- 
i ing to quality. 
