March, 
94 THE CULTIVATOR. 
figuring its appearance, and greatly deteriorating its 
merchantable value. 
Claim .—What we claim as our invention, and desire 
to secure by letters patent, is the method or process of 
toughening the hulls of wheat or other grain, prepara¬ 
tory to grinding, by the application of steam, substan¬ 
tially in the manner herein set forth. 
Haley Brown, of BrummePs P. 0., Davidson Co., 
N. C., hus become the owner of the above patent. 
Feeding Stock.-— Mr. J. R. Howard, Easton, 
Mass., writes —“ A friend of mine says he has made 
his' pork by feeding the swine with two quarts of corn 
per day for each hundred pounds, live weight, and he 
would like to learn whether it is proper to assume this 
or any other stated quantity, as being requisite or pro¬ 
per to feed to other aninals—^cattle, horses, poultry, &c., 
-—that is, what quantity of corn, or other food, should 
be given lor each one hundred pounds of live weight? 
We should be glad to receive the observations of any 
persons who have experimented on this subject. 
Peculiar Growth of Varieties. —The peculiar 
growth of different varieties of fruit trees, as marks for 
distinctive characters, has long attracted attention. The 
writings of Duhamel, and the English Pomological 
Magazine, contain minute descriptions of the growth of 
the tree, and the appearance of the young wood, buds 
and leaves, often carried out to great minuteness. Hen¬ 
ry W. Beecher, of Indianapolis, in a review, last year, 
of Downing’s work on Fruits, has strongly urged the 
importance of these characteristics; and later, F. K. 
Phoenix, of Delavan, Wisconsin, in the last number of 
the Horticulturist, has dwelt largely on the same sub¬ 
ject. 
The writer of these remarks, had, many years ago. 
found the minute descriptions contained in the European 
works already referred to, of little value, the marks 
being too indefinite for conveying accurate knowledge 
by mere words. Hence, in the fifth number of the Cul¬ 
tivator of last year, in some remarks which were made 
on this point, the untangible nature of these characteris¬ 
tics was distinctly pointed out; and a comparison made 
with the appearance of the human face—by which every 
man may be recognized at a glance, although that power 
of recognition could not possibly in most cases be con¬ 
veyed by a mere written description. This, the article 
in the Horticulturist already referred to, designates as 
u queer doctrine.” 
The truth is, this was not a fair comparison. For 
not only may the countenance of a friend be known by 
the mere expression at a moment’s glance, but this may 
be transferred to paper in the form of an outline or por¬ 
trait, and if accurately done, is scarcely less easily re¬ 
cognized, even though the color of the face, and the 
form, size, and motions of the rest of the body, may be 
entirely excluded. Would an outline drawing of a par¬ 
ticular variety of fruit tree, convey as unequivocal an 
idea, at a moment’s glance ? Would a well executed 
painting of the leaves and branches convey the idea? 
Not at all—for the Editor of the Horticulturist, in his 
u remarks ” on the above-mentioned communication, 
says, that the late eminent Robert Manning, who had 
the most skilful eye he ever knew in distinguishing va¬ 
rieties by the growth, though he knew well the trees on 
his own grounds, could recognize but few, and those of 
the most strongly marked sorts, when removed to 
grounds but a few hundred miles distant, and with a 
climate and soil different from his own. Others, it is 
stated, were equally at fault, when removed beyond 
their own immediate soil and climate; to the truth of 
all which the writer can add his own similar experience. 
If, therefore, the difference between Boston and New¬ 
burgh, was sufficient to work such a change in the as¬ 
pect of most varieties, that the most eminent American 
pomologist could not recognize them, though with the 
trees and the -whole trees before him, much less could 
an accurate painting of parts, enable him to do it; and 
still less a mere outline drawing; to say nothing of the 
attempt to do it by words only. 
These remarks are made with no desire to underrate 
this useful auxiliary to the description of some varie¬ 
ties; and an important aid to accuracy to every nursery¬ 
man, who, though he may not easily describe, may usu¬ 
ally recognize his young trees by the appearance of their 
growth. T. 
Benson’s Hydraulic Ram. —I noticed in your Janu¬ 
ary number, the request of Mr. Haywood, with regard 
to Benson’ Hydraulic Ram, to which with pleasure I 
reply, that when the machine was set up for inspection., 
in this town, it was made to carry water to the height 
of seventy-five feet, in much shorter distance than he 
represents it to be from the spring to his house, with 
perfect facility. And now, Mr. Werden, on whose 
premises it was then located, and who has since purchased 
it, and made it a permanent fixture to his premises, 
informs us that it raises the water from forty-five to 
fifty feet in a distance of about eleven rods. Mr. Wer¬ 
den says further, that, although his works were put 
down late in autumn, and the water carried up this ele¬ 
vation in logs, (which by many were thought to be ob¬ 
jectionable if they could be used at all, as more liable 
to leak,) the concern fully answers his expectation, so 
that he thinks its utility unquestionable, and the liabili¬ 
ty to get out of order no greater than that of a common 
aqueduct. A sufficiency of water is thus elevated to his 
farm buildings for the supply of a large stock, and for 
household purposes. In this case the fall is less than 
six feet. From Mr. Benson’s circular we copy the fol¬ 
lowing :—“ In one instance, a gentleman having a 
spring of water in a meadow, 1000 feet from his house, 
and 85 feet perpendicular depth below it, by the power 
of a small branch of impure water, that affords five 
gallons per minute, with a fall of 8 feet, has 730 gal¬ 
lons of pure spring water per day, delivered into a 
reservoir in his kitchen, by means of this simple appara¬ 
tus. * * * In another instance, with a stream of water 
with nine feet fall, the water is elevated to the height 
of 156 feet.” 
With regard to the cost of the article, we have been 
informed that the price of the double ram, or that used 
for conveying one stream by another, as having a hard 
water stream carry soft water to the place desired, is, 
with the right to use, thirty dollars; and that of the 
single ram, twenty dollars. We believe they are for 
sale by Mr. Luther Griffing, of this town. From the 
above statements, Mr. Haywood, or any other. gentle¬ 
man, can gather his own inferences. Our opinion is, 
that the machine will answer his purpose. However, 
we would rather have him examine one in operation, 
and satisfy himself by his own observation W. Bacon. 
Richmond, Mass.. Feb. 9, 1847. 
Suffolk Pigs.—W e have received from Wm. 
Stickney, Esq., of Boston, an account of the weights 
of some swine of various grades of the Suffolk breed. 
In our Jan. No. we spoke of two pigs we had seen at 
Mr. S.’s place. In reference to these he says— 
u The two hogs you saw at my place in Dec. last, 
were slaughtered Dec. 9th, and were 16 months 15 
days old ; were 7-8 Suffolk, 1-8 native. They were 
not as good as some of the full breed Suffolks. I sold 
them both in Oct., 1845, and they were kept under a 
stable on slops and what they obtained from the horse 
manure, until the last of July, 1846, when I purchased 
the large one, and kept him on light feed until the first 
of Oct., when I commenced feeding him. The smaller 
one I purchased the 1st of Nov., and he had then been 
fed six weeks. He was sickly when I sold him, and 
