158 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
May 
and witnessed the race with 11 Sweepstakes.” My fa¬ 
ther’s horse was not only a swift runner, but a very fast 
trotter. Those who have seen the “ Gifford Morgan,” 
will have a very correct idea of the size, shape, style, 
and action of the original Morgan horse, as the resem¬ 
blance between them is very close, not only in those 
particulars, but most others, except color. The stock, 
also, of the “ Gifford Morgan,” with which I have al¬ 
ways been well acquainted, is very similar to that of 
the original horse. 
I consider it a very fortunate circumstance that the 
attention of the public has at length become awakened 
to the great value and importance of the Morgan stock 
of horses, in season to save the blood in such purity as 
we yet have it in some individuals. A few more years 
of indifference and. delay would have insured its loss be¬ 
yond the possibility of recovery. Justin Morgan. 
Slo.ckbridge, Vt., Feb. 27, 1847. 
Summer Fallowing for Wheat. —To procure a 
good crop of wheat, no means are more certain than a 
summer-fallow; it not only benefits the present but future 
crops; most especially so on those soils wherein clay pre¬ 
dominates. • Fallowing, when skillfully performed, not 
only loosens the soil, but also, by absorption, improves 
it; that is, the various gases which are evolved from 
vegetable decompositions, and float in the atmosphere, 
are absorbed by the earth, and there retained for the 
nourishment of future growths. Rain water is frequent¬ 
ly impregnated with these gases, and by ft they are 
carried to the soil. Another effect , of fallowing is to 
offer different portions of the soil to the sun, the rays of 
which act powerfully on its chemical combinations, and 
by heat, put in action the greaLgalvanic battery of na¬ 
ture. Fallowing, also, when properly done, destroys 
much that should not grow in a wheat field; and it is 
to this part that I shall confine my attention. 
I prefer for a fallow, ground that has been one sea¬ 
son in corn, which should be turned over as shallow as 
it can be, to be well done. The object in this shallow 
plowing, is to place those seeds which are within three 
or four inches of the surface, in such position that ger¬ 
mination will take place. Many seeds, when placed 
five or six inches from the surface, will not grow at all; 
but remain'inert. Cockle is one of these, and I have 
evidence sufficient for me to believe that it will lay in 
the ground inert for a number of years, (I think five or 
more,) and then, if placed suitably, will grow. Clover 
seed will remain under a sod for eighteen months and 
then grow. Shallow plowing, in the first instance, 
does not place seeds so low but they will vegetate freely. - 
If the field be a sward, and it can be inverted at three 
inches, I should suppose it deep enough, and as to 
time, I would do it about the first of. sixth month, 
[June.] or during that month. In a week or ten days, 
I would harrow it well, lengthwise the furrows, which 
will materially assist the vegetation of seeds in the soil. 
In six weeks from the first plowing, stir it crossways 
not less than six or seven inches deep-. If a sod, it will 
hardly be sufficiently decomposed for this, so early, and 
may need one or two harrowings before it will be. 
The fore part of eighth month, [August,] give it a 
plowing, as deep as it can well be'done, so as to move 
an inch or more of the subsoil. This mode is the most 
effectual to remove pests from the crops, of any I have 
seen tried, and greatly does it improve the earth, and 
will, I believe, generally well repay the expense. Apro¬ 
pos to this:—In the summer of 1842, I broke a piece for 
wheat, which was a stiff timothy sod—soil limestone 
clay. It was done in the sixth month. A fence had 
been moved from one side of it the preceding year, and 
the old row planted with potatoes. This potato patch 
was frequently stirred in 1842, and in the 8 th month I 
commenced stirring, making the place where the year 
before I raised the Mercers, part of the first u land.” 
From the partial decomposition of the sod, I was in¬ 
duced to quit with but one land. Early in the 9th month, 
it was all plowed and seeded. In the tenth month, 
( 1 st of it,) it appeared beautiful—but the fly commenced 
its rayages, and with the exception of that one land 
they denuded the field till it was bare as a road, and 
that land was as distinctly marked as a plow could have 
done it. The wheat on it was thick, while the other 
with re-sowing was thin. I leave others to judge of 
the cause. Rob’t Hatton. Richmond, Ind., 1847. 
Agricultural Papers—Recipe for Sweeny.— I 
am sorry to say that some farmers are opposed to 
u book-farming ” as they call it, and will not read an 
agricultural paper. Yet, there is a prospect of better 
things. I have lent quite a number of copies of the 
Cultivator to some of our best farmers, who are well 
pleased with the work, and I have hopes of being 
able to send more names soon. I presume you know 
that this county is one of the lumbering counties of 
Pennsylvania, and consequently very little attention is 
paid to farming; yet we have some excellent land, and 
for two years back, there has been a large overplus of 
all kinds of grain. It is an excellent county for fruit, and 
last fall a number of orchards of choice fruit were plant¬ 
ed. And as timber in many parts of this county is get¬ 
ting scarce, more attention will be paid to farming. 
I have a recipe for the sweeny in horses. It may be 
new to some of the readers of the Cultivator. I can 
safely say it is the best and cheapest remedy for that 
complaint I ever knew or tried. I have driven teams 
and owned horses for a number of years. 
Take one quart of upshot whiskey, or fourth proof 
brandy, two ounces gum camphor, two ounces ground 
cloves, nine pods red pepper, one table spoonful alum 
salt. Let it stand twenty-four hours; then rub the af¬ 
fected part three times in twenty-four hours. When 
the first quart is used, put a quart of brandy or whis¬ 
key on the grounds, and use as before. John Miles. 
Curwensville, Feb. 20th, 1847. 
Western Virginia.— J. C. McGrew, Esq., of 
Kingwood, Preston Co<, Va., writes—“ Western Vir¬ 
ginia, possesses, I believe, as great physical resources 
advantages, and adaptation: /or manufacturing, for ag¬ 
riculture, and grazing, combined, as any country in 
the world, and nothing is wanting but enterprize and 
skill, to develop fully and profitably these resources.” 
Potato Starch. —Can you give me any informa¬ 
tion concerning the manufacture of potato starch? I 
wish to put up a machine to be worked by horse power, 
but I cannot find any person capable of constructing 
a machine for grinding the potatoes. I have made an 
experimental machine, with a drum sixteen inches in 
diameter, covered with a tin grater; but I cannot 
make it feed itself without clogging. What is the 
proper size of a drum to work to the best advan¬ 
tage ? and how should the hopper be constructed to 
make it feed without clogging or breaking the potatoes ? 
I wish to know, also, how many pounds of starch can 
be made from a bushel of good potatoes, and what is 
the starch worth per pound by the quantity ? Maine. 
The past winter in Maryland—Farmer’s Clubs. 
Our winter has been very mild—not much ice, and some 
of our ice-houses have not an ounce in them. 
I have been an observer of the Hessian fly for nearly 
20 years, and I do not remember to have seen the insect 
in the u flax-seed ” state in the month of February be¬ 
fore this winter. 
In your February number I . see mention of “ Far¬ 
mers’ Clubs.” They are, in my judgment, among the 
