260 
August, 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Uffte for f(jo Ifbittfr. 
Analyses of Soils.— We cannot too highly com¬ 
mend to the attention of our readers, the communica¬ 
tion of our correspondent, Mr. S. W. Johnson, pub¬ 
lished in this no. of our paper. It discusses the ques¬ 
tion of the immediate practical value of soil-analyses, 
with candor and ability. It is from the pen of a man 
of science, who has devoted himself for years almost 
exclusively to the study of agricultural chemistry, and 
who thoroughly understands the subject upon which he 
treats. His conclusions are clear and emphatic, and 
cannot fail to commend themselves to the good sense 
of the intelligent and reflecting reader. 
Great efforts have been made in this country, by ig¬ 
norant and designing men, to lead the public mind 
astray upon this subject. The idea that chemistry had 
opened the arcana of nature, and revealed to us all the 
processes of vegetation, and that all that was now ne¬ 
cessary was to furnish a chemist with a few pounds of 
earth, to enable him to prescribe with unerring certain¬ 
ty the medicaments necessary to ensure the production 
of a certain amount of any desired crop, was, indeed, 
a beautiful one ; but in practice, the test to which all 
theories must be subjected, it proved an utter failufe; 
and few, if even one really intelligent chemist, can 
now be found, who believes in this proposition. It is, 
in fact, only advocated by pretenders, who believe that 
an “ honest penny ” can be made in the shape of fees 
for 85 analyses, and the prescriptions deemed necessa¬ 
ry to render them effectual. 
A New Mowing Machine. —Mr. Fisk Russell 
of Boston, a practical mechanic of large experience, 
has invented a mowing machine which differs in seve¬ 
ral particulars, both in principle and construction, from 
those now in successful operation, and decided advan¬ 
tages are claimed for it. The driving wheel is, the 
same as in Ketchum’s; but the vibratory motion is 
obtained from a wheel consisting of a series of cams, 
by the undulating rim of which a lever is made to move 
the knives. The knives are each separate, and play 
upon a steel pivot, acting as they vibrate, like a pair 
of shears. The frame of the machine is supported by 
a second wheel of the same size and opposite to the 
driving wheel, which renders the movement of the 
machine more steady, and obviates in a great measure, 
the side draught. 
The machine was tried last week on the farm of B 
B. Kirtland of Greenbush, and did its work ad¬ 
mirably. There was no clogging, and apparently less 
power was required to operate it than other machines. 
It is simple in its construction, and works with very 
little friction. Mr. Russell intends to devote the re¬ 
mainder of the hay season to experimenting with and 
perfecting his machine, and it will not be offered for 
sale till another year. Any judgment as to the supe¬ 
riority of the machine would be premature until fur¬ 
ther trial has been made, but it certainly promises to 
be a valuable labor-saving implement. 
Farm Machinery. —The Journal of the N. Y. 
State Ag. Society states that Roswell L. Colt, of 
Patterson, employs on his farm a steam-engine of 13 
horse power, which performs the operations of thresh¬ 
ing, cutting stalks, straw, and hay—steaming food, 
sawing fire-wood, boards, timber, &c. The steaming 
apparatus for preparing food is very complete. The 
outbuildings are of the most complete kind—the ar¬ 
rangements for horses, cows, pigs, poultry, &c., are ex¬ 
cellent—the stables are so constructed as to save all 
the manure both liquid and solid. 
Imported Stock for Ohio. —We learn that N. B. 
Hogg, Esq. Newark, 0., has recently added to his 
stock, a South Down ram, and some Essex and Suf¬ 
folk swine, from the imported stock of Col. L. G. Mor¬ 
ris, Fordham, and a pair of short-horned cattle from 
the herd ot Col. Sherwood of Auburn. 
|IgpMr. P- Melendy of Mount Healthy,0., recently 
passed .through this city, with twenty-nine head of 
Suffolk swine, some of them imported, and a pair of 
Devons, all purchased of B. Y. French, Esq. of Brain¬ 
tree, Mass. Mr. M. is a thorough farmer, and is doing 
much by his liberal introduction of improved stock, to 
promote the agricultural interests of southern Ohio. 
More Cattle for Ohio. —Seven short-horned bulls 
from seven to 22 months old, and ten cows and heifers 
from one to four years old, and seven Leicester sheep, 
were shipped aboard the John Bull, from Liverpool 
for New-York, on the 29th of May, for the United So¬ 
ciety of Shakers of Warren county, 0. They are 
spoken of in the English papers as a very fine lot, and 
cost from $200 to $1,000 per head. 
Tile-Draining. —S. Williams states in the Farm¬ 
er’s Mirror, that his son has a market garden on the 
continuous flat lands east of Buffalo; and that his 
pipe and tile-drains have put him a month ahead of 
his neighbors this spring, paying more 'than the out¬ 
lay in one season. 
v 
Show of Horses at Providence. —The Exhi¬ 
bition of Horses which took place at Providence, R. 1. 
June 21 and 22, was very successful, both reflecting 
credit upon those engaged in its management, and 
drawing together a fine display of animals. Indeed 
in every thing but stallions, the show was pronounced 
equal if not superior to that at Springfield last year, 
while the number of entries (345) was nearly as great. 
The exercises were those usual on such occasions— 
opening with a display of all the horses on the ground, 
occupying and moving slowly around the entire track, 
and followed by an exhibition of the draught horses, 
mares, fillies, matched, trotting and hackney horses 
&c. by themselves. A trial of speed, in which horses 
not under three minutes, are said to have been “ no¬ 
where” closed the scene, and the throng of visitors re¬ 
tired well satisfied with the arrangements of the 
managers and the appearance and accomplishments of 
the brute portion of the exhibition. Th^weather was 
very favorable, the course crowded by citizens and 
strangers, and the best order every where prevalent. 
