THE CULTIVATOR. 
Answers to Inquiries. 
Improved Breeds of Stock. —Will you please in¬ 
form me at what prices I can procure Short-Horn and 
Devon Cattle—also South Down Sheep and Suffolk 
pigs, in your state. I see numerous advertisements of 
improved stock in your paper, but no prices are men¬ 
tioned. J. A. Geneseo, III. 
Prices of the above breeds of animals vary accord¬ 
ing to quality—they may be had from $75 to $500 or 
$1000 tor Short Horn and Devon Cattle—$10 to $50 
for South Down Sheep, and $5 to $20 for pigs. 
In answer to an inquiry on this subject, L. G-. Mor¬ 
ris Esq. of Pordham, informs us that he has sold at 
private sale during the past year, eleven head of Short 
Horns under two years old, and several quite young, 
at an average price of $237,63, and five Devon bull 
calves at an average of $140. His price for South 
Down rams and ram lambs, is from $25 to $75—price 
for Suffolk, Essex, and Berkshire pigs at eight weeks 
old, $30 per pair, and $40 to 50 each, over that age. 
His private sales of stock the past year have amount¬ 
ed to about $7000. - 
Hereford Cattle. —A correspondent in Maryland, 
inquires—“ What is the opinion of Hereford cattle at 
the North 7 Owing to the comparatively small num¬ 
ber imported, they have not been very extensively 
tried. So far as we know, they have given entire 
satisfaction to those who possess them. Our correspon¬ 
dent, and our readers generally we presume, would be 
glad to hear the opinions of those who have bred them. 
Mr. Corning of this city, has a small herd of this 
breed, of very superior quality, which" are universally 
admired. 
Carrots. — I observe there are three kinds of car¬ 
rots. Which is the best for winter milch cows? Also 
the best time to plant them ? Yours, &c., S. 
The long-orange carrot is generally preferred, pro- 
babty as much for its rich yellow appearance, as for 
any real superiority in nutriment. The white carrot, 
which grows partly out of the ground like the mangel 
wurtzel, bears larger crops and is more easily harvest¬ 
ed. We have ascertained its milk and butter-produ¬ 
cing qualities to be of a high character. But from 
some unexplained cause, the seed which we have re¬ 
ceived has proved so poor, perhaps either from long- 
keeping or bad maturity, that we have lately planted 
the orange exclusively. 
Sow early —many seeds fail by leaving the operation 
till the earth is too dry. Let the soil be deep and rich, 
' and previously cleared of weed-seeds, and the crop will 
be cheap and heavy. - 
Straw Cutters. —Can you give me an idea of the 
best description of straw cutter now in use ? I have 
one that was made at Albany, N. Y., which cost $18, 
which I should be glad to get one dollar for. W. H. 
Verpell. Burford , C. W. 
A perfect straw cutter, at a reasonable price, remains 
yet to be invented. The “green hide” cutters, made 
by Ruggles & Co. and others, are nearly faultless in 
every particular but one—they do not cut short enough. 
For moderate price and durability, we have no objec¬ 
tions to make to them. Those forms of construction 
having a sliding frame and knife, driven by a fly 
wheel, usually work well for a time—but a slight bend 
in the blade or wearing in the frame, makes them cut 
badly. Heavy and stiff knives, attached directly to 
the fly wheel, with the length of the cut regulated by 
feeding rollers and cog-work, have generally accom¬ 
plished the purp'ose well, but such a machine well, 
made cannot be had for much less than thirty dollars. 
The field is yet open for inventors. 
Potatoes, &c. — W. B. We presume the Dover 
potato to which you allude, can be procured of Mr. J. 
C. Tiffany, Coxsackie, N. Y. We have never seen 
them, and know nothing of their qualities. The best 
early potato cultivated in this vicinity, is what is called 
the Mountain June. They are of fair quality, pro¬ 
ductive, and as little liable to rot as any potato we 
have cultivated. Good garden seeds, can be procured 
at all seed stores. - 
Swine fed on Beach-nuts. —A correspondent, who 
has wintered his breeding rows on beach-nuts, wishes to 
know if any bad results are likely to take place in 
consequence of this practice, to those who are expected 
soon to have pigs. He has been informed that the 
pigs will die, or have no hair on them. As we havu 
had no experience in this mode of feeding, perhaps 
some of our correspondents will inform us whether it 
is necessary to resume the feeding of grain, roots,&c. 
in order to avoid so strange a disaster—our belief is, 
however, that our inquirer has nothing to fear—the 
only bad result being from the exposure and scant 
food which animals so treated too often receive. 
Messrs. Editors —Will you have the goodness to 
answer me through the medium of your valuable pa¬ 
per, the. following questions: 
I am a wool grower, and have in my flock of sheep 
the following kinds—the Silesian, French, Guadaloupe, 
and Spanish Merinoes. Now what I wish to know is, 
which of the above kinds is the most profitable to 
grow wool from, according to the weight of carcass and 
expense of keeping, and which will produce the most 
pounds of wool? By answering the above question 
you will confer a very great favor upon a constant 
reader of the Cultivator. L. B. Spencer. Windsor , 
Vt ., March 10, 1854. 
We have no data from which we can solve the ques¬ 
tion of our correspondent. If any of our readers can 
do it, we shall be glad to hear from them.— Eds. 
Reapers and Mowers. —Can you tell me whose 
reaping machine is best, and whether there is a ma¬ 
chine with a mower and reaper combined that is as 
good as the reaper without the mower? B. M. Bran- 
ner. Mossy Greek , Tenn ., March 4. 
Experience is yet limited, so far as a comparative 
test of the different reapers is concerned. Hussey’s, 
McCormick’s. Burrall’s, Atkin’s Self-raker, and some 
others, appear to be vei-y nearly equal in merit, in or¬ 
dinary cutting, so far as we can judge by superficial 
observation. We have never seen a reaper used for 
mowing that did not sometimes fail badly. Ketchum’s 
Mower, we have never known to fail in doing good ser¬ 
vice, and we have often regretted his machine had not 
been sent to England for experiment. 
Suffolk Pigs. 
T HE subscribers are now prepared to receive orders for 
pure Suffolk Pigs, bred from Stock Imported in 184S 
by the late William Stickney, and by the Subscribers in Jan¬ 
uary, also an Importation of 12 in October 1853. 
Address, JOSIAII STICKNEY, Watertown, or 
ISAAC STICKNEY, Boston, Mass. 
Boston, April, 1854—apl3—wlam3t—mlt 
Brahma Footra Eggs. 
T HE subscriber offers for sale Eggs of the above variety, 
bred from a few selected towls and warranted pure 
Price $5 per dozen, packed and forwarded by Express to 
any part of the Union. WILLIAM B. SMYTH, 
April 13—w3tmlt New Britain, Connecticut. 
Brahma Footra and White Shanghai Eggs. 
T HE subscriber will furnish Eggsffrom fowls of the above 
named varieties at the following rates, viz: 
Brahma Pootra, (grey Shanghai,)... .$3 per dozen. 
White Shanghai,.. .. 2 “ 
N. B. The fowls in my possession are from the best stock 
to be had in the country. The White Shanghais are of Dr. 
E. Wight’s importation, and the Brahmas from that of Mr. 
Hatch. Address, post paid, 
JOSEPH G. HILDRETH, 
March 30—w2tmlt* No. 9 Franklin st., Boston, Mass. 
