1847 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
45 
with surprising uniformity. In plowing greensward, I 
found that the depth of the furrow was generally six 
inches by nine in breadth. The difference between good 
and bad plowing is very readily perceived after the 
grain is up. The furrow* slices should be straight, of 
equal breadth and thickness, for unless this is carefully 
attended to, the ground will not be equally prepared 
for the reception of the seed ; and that inequality, which 
is often observable in a field of grain, frequently arises 
from this inaccuracy. I seldom saw a crooked furrow, 
though I passed through more than twenty counties, 
and paid particular attention to the plowed fields in 
every part of the country. The head lands are finished 
with equal care and accuracy as the rest of the land. 
In many parts of the country the land is plowed in 
ridges, w T hich vary much in breadth. They are raised 
in the middle, and the open furrows at the sides serve as 
drains to let off the surplus waters. These ridges on 
retentive soils, are deemed indispensible, but on some of 
the lighter soils their utility seemed to me at least doubt¬ 
ful. In some parts of the country, they are used to ena¬ 
ble the plowman to perform his work with accuracy; 
but it is believed that for this purpose it will not much 
longer be retained. 
From a careful examination of the land after it was 
prepared for crops, I became satisfied that the narrow 
furrow slice is much to be preferred. The soil is com¬ 
pletely and uniformly pulverized, and this, in connexion 
with draining, is one of the most effectual means of 
increasing the product of the soil. And when the per¬ 
fection of the subsequent preparation, as mentioned in 
my former communication, is considered, it is apparent 
that the farmer may well ask from Him who makes the 
corn to grow, to add his blessing to the labor of his 
hands, having himself done all he could to secure the 
desired return. The large yield which is most gene¬ 
rally obtained, shows that the system here pursued, is 
at least worthy of consideration, as the preparation of 
the land by the plowman has an important bearing upon 
the subsequent crop. Indeed, it has been well said,'— 
u that the whole value of plowing, scientifically speak¬ 
ing, depends upon its having the effect of loosening the 
texture of the soil, and thus permitting a free circula¬ 
tion of air and moisture through the furrows, for the 
double purpose of increasing the rapidity of the disinte¬ 
gration of its stony portions, and of re-reducing to pow¬ 
der what had once been pulverized, but which, from the 
joint action of pressure, and the binding effect of root 
fibres, had been united together. However well land 
may be manured, and however thoroughly drained, you 
never can obtain the crops it is capable of yielding un¬ 
less you pulverize it. 
There are a great variety of plows in use here, yet I 
think several of the improved plows in America are 
equal to any I have seen. I have no doubt we have 
some plowmen, also, who may do their work with equal 
care and acuracy. It is not however, considered with 
us as indispensible to good farming, to have the land 
plowed with so much care. The most that can be 
accomplished in a given time, is generally considered 
more important than the maimer in which it is perform¬ 
ed. The plow is most generally here drawn by three 
or four horses in single file, with one or more drivers, 
though the practice of using two horses abreast, as 
with us, is evidently gaining favor, and will, I should 
think, ere long supersede almost entirely the other 
method. Reforms in this country are very slow, and it 
may take much longer time than I imagine to accom¬ 
plish this. Oxen are but little used in plowing in those 
sections of the country through which I passed. 
It is often said that we canuot expect to have our 
farms as neatly and carefully worked as they are here. 
The wages of the laborer are so much higher, and the 
prices of produce so much lower, that we cannot afford it. 
This is doubtless true to a certain extent, but I do not 
perceive that it is a valid objection to the adoption of a 
more perfect system of plowing. The increased crop 
resulting from it, will, in almost every instance, amply 
repay for any additional labor and expense that may be 
required to prepare the ground. 
Sheep and Mutton. —The excellency of their mut¬ 
ton is the pride and boast of every Englishman, and 
from its almost universal use, it appears to be the na¬ 
tional meat, rather than their famed roast beef. Until 
I tasted Welsh, South Down and Leicester mutton, in all 
their richness of flavor, as served up in London, I con¬ 
fess I knew not the value of mutton as an article of 
food. I soon became very partial to it, as I believe most 
Americans do who taste it here. The fatness of the 
sheep brought to market is truly surprising, and no one 
except those who occasionally see the rich mutton fat- 
tened in Albany and its vicinity, and some other locali¬ 
ties, can have any conception of it. In passing through 
the country early in May, I saw multitudes of sheep 
feeding from early green crops, inclosed usually in hur¬ 
dles on the fields, so as to secure the manure, and thes® 
removed as required, until the whole field is consumed, 
or the sheep ready for market. Turneps also are used 
to a considerable extent, as well as oil-cake, in the fat¬ 
tening of sheep. 
The sheep are never taken to market, so far as 
my observation extends, except when in the very 
best condition. Indeed I never saw in the markets in 
England, what would be considered a lean carcass of 
mutton. 
The breeds of sheep above mentioned, are those most 
esteemed for mutton. The small Welsh mutton is th© 
finest flavor of any I ever tasted, and it commands, I 
believe, uniformly, the highest price in market. The 
quantity of this variety is small compared with the others. 
The Downs and Leicesters, and a cross between them, 
are the next, though the Cotswold and some others 
command nearly as high prices. The quantity of mut¬ 
ton consumed in London alone is enormous. From 30 
to 45,000 sheep are weekly sold in Smithfield market, 
and a very large number of slaughtered carcasses are 
brought up to the dead meat markets from all parts of 
the kingdom. 
How far it may be desirable to encourage these breeds 
of sheep for mutton with us, it is not for me to say. 
The prices with us bear little comparison with those 
usually obtained in England. The common price in 
London last spring and summer, was, from three and 
six pence to four and six pence, sterling, the stone of 
eight pounds, averaging about twelve cents the pound. 
My own impression is, that in the vicinity of our large 
towns, these sheep might be reared and fattened at a 
profit, and I presume those who have engaged in it, 
have generally made it profitable. At all events, if w© 
are to have mutton, let us endeavor to have the best 
breeds, well fattened, and then we shall know how t.o 
prize this delicious, and I believe, most healthy meat. 
RESULTS OF CHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS, 
Giessen, Nov. 10, 1846. 
Messrs. Tucker and Howard —In my letter of 
July last, I gave Dr. Krocker’s determinations of am¬ 
monia, in a variety of soils. They were in beautiful 
confirmation of Liebig’s view's , but far outstripping his 
expressed anticipations, so far as quantity was con¬ 
cerned. A recent experiment has shown that if aqua 
ammonia be poured upon a funnell filled with fine clay, 
the filtrate is simple water ! all the ammonia remains 
with the alumina. Here is a comprehensible explana¬ 
tion 1 ^ one of the known advantages of an aluminous 
soil." Another has been brought to light in the course 
