182 THE CULTIVATOR. June 
ted as to improve his flock of sheep enough in ten years 
to realize the extra sum of ten dollars, and spend the 
same for agricultural papers. S. W. Jewett. Wey« 
bridge, Vt., March 29, 1847. 
Heaves in Horses. — I have a horse that has been 
troubled with the heaves for several winters ; and his 
cough was sometimes so severe that it was painful to 
drive him even on short journeys. By careful treatment, 
however—chiefly by withholding from him clover hay — 
he entirely recovered, though relapses readily occur. 
A few weeks ago we drove him on a visit to some dis¬ 
tant friends ; he was in fine Condition ; but on our re¬ 
turn he began to cough very severely. Probably he had 
eaten something wrong the night before. Again he was 
fed on clean timothy hay, and though no medicine was 
administered, we heard no more of it in a few days. 
For a horse in this condition we consider hay from a 
stack much better than hay from a mow, as the latter is 
very apt to be dusty. 
P. S. Since the foregoing was written, it was most 
convenient to feed him for a few days with hay made of 
clover and timothy which grew together, when he be¬ 
gan to cough again, (though not with a tenth part of his 
former frequency and violence,) yet the clover when cut 
was not past its bloom, the leaves bright green, and all 
cured without rain. I would therefore ask if clover has 
not some specific action in this disease ? D. T. Cay¬ 
uga co., 3 d mo. 10, 1847. 
Wild Potatoes. “In an address pronounced by Dr. 
Mitchell before the New-Ycttk Horticultural Society, in 
1826, mention is made of some wild potatoes, which 
were sent by Dr. Finslar and Commodore Hull from the 
coast of Peru in South America. Dr. Finslar, in a let¬ 
ter dated Dec. 10, 1825, to Dr. S. L. Mitchell, says, 
“ I send for your gratification, some of the original po¬ 
tatoes, so long sought for. These potatoes were found 
growing in their native state, on the top of the island 
of St. Lorenzo.’'' Commodore Hull, in a letter dated 
Lima, 27th August, 1825, to. Commodore Chauncey, 
says, I forward you a small box containing what we 
believe here to be the wild potato. I found it last year 
on the top of the island of San Lorenzo, in the bay of 
Callao. About six months ago, I sent to Baltimore some 
of them, with the small ball on the vines, directed tq Mr. 
Skinner, and requested him to send part of them to Mr. 
Sewell, of Boston.” In another letter he describes them 
as being “ very fine.” When boiled they are yellow, 
and of a good flavor.” Dr. Mitchell says he had sent a 
parcel of the roots to the Hoii. Josiah Quincy, who had 
distributed them among some of the ablest cultivators 
bt Boston. 
Now, my object in this communication is, to ascer¬ 
tain what has become of these wild potatoes?—what 
success has attended the cultivation of them ? Can Mr. 
Skinner or Mr. Quincy, or any other person give any 
account of them ? I can find no account in any publi¬ 
cation subsequent to 1826. Perhaps some members of 
the American Institute can give the desired information; 
if so, will they favor the public through the pages of the 
Cultivator? H. A. Parsons. Buffalo, April 25, 
1847. ...... 
Letting Sheep. —A correspondent in your April 
number, wishes to know something about the terms of 
letting sheep. What may be customary in other parts 
of the country I cannot tejl, but in New-England and 
New-York, sheep are frequently let for a term of years, 
on the following terms, viz: The owner of the sheep 
to have half of the wool , and all of the increase ; and at 
the end of the time, have restored to him the original 
stock, or their value. This gives to the other party, 
for the use of his land and his attendance, only half of 
the wool from year to year. This, at first sight seems 
an inadequate remuneration, and yet there are farmers 
who -readily take sheep to keep on these terms. If 
seven sheep, as is generally allowed, consume a ton of 
hay in a winter, or in 135 days, which is about the ave¬ 
rage length of our winters;—-the pasturing in the other 
parts of the year, together with the care, attendance. 
&c., would bring the expense up to $1.50 per head. 
How, then, can any farmer afford to keep sheep for half 
of the wool ? Another way of letting sheep, practiced 
somewhat extensively, is to double the flock to the own¬ 
er once in three years. 
It may not be out of place to remark, that in the 
manufacture of wool, cloth-dressers give one yard of 
dressed cloth for 2\ lbs. of wool; one yard of white 
flannel for If lbs.; and one yard of colored flannel for 
2 lbs. of wool, .. H. A. P. 
Poll Evil. —I noticed a very simble cure for the 
poll evil in your paper some time ago; that is to wash 
out the sore and apply common salt. We have a good 
horse that had it for two years. I doubted the simple 
remedy, but resolved to try it, thinking it could do no 
harm, at least. However, the horse soon got well, and 
is now as sound as ever. John Miller. Thorton . 
III., Feb., 1857. . 
Salve for an Inflamed Sore. —Half dozen Balm 
Gilead buds, pounded fine, one tea-spoonful honey, and 
the yolk of an egg; mix together and thicken with rye 
flour to the consistency of paste. I applied it once a 
day two or three times. I have used this salve with much 
benefit to allay inflammation in animals caused by castra¬ 
tion. I saved a hog by it, and it is said to be equally 
as good for a horse. D. W. G. Fast Dorset. Vt. 
Fine Corn Crops in Ohio. —The following facts 
appear in the Report of the Ross County Ag. Society, 
gleaned from the published statistics which were col¬ 
lected with much care:—In liberty township, the whole 
amount of the corn ci'op last year, was 193,704 bushels, 
from 3,044 x acres, or at the average rate of about 48 
bushels per acre. The best lot of corn in the township 
was 40 acres, rated at 90 bushels per acre. The wheat 
averaged only 10 bushels per acre, and the best lot only 
20 bushels per acre. 
Gypsum on Stable Floors. —Many readers will 
remember the recommendations a few years since, to 
sprinkle stable floors with gypsum, for absorbing the 
escaping ammonia. Several papers contained statements 
that this practice has caused the speedy decay of the 
plank of the floor. No satisfactory explanation has 
been given of the cause. Is this result general 2 
BREAK THE CRUST. 
Every observant farmer must have noticed the crust 
which forms on the surface of newly stirred soils, after 
lying a few days to the action of the dews. A much 
heavier crust is formed by each shower of rain which 
falls. Good and successful cultivation requires that this 
newly formed crust be often and repeatedly broken by 
the hoe, harrow, or other instruments. 
A striking instance in proof of the importance of this 
practice, has just been stated by an extensive farmer. 
He planted a field of broom-corn, and by way of banter, 
told the man who assisted him, that each should choose 
a row as nearly alike as possible, and each should hoe 
his row, and the measured amount of crop on each 
should be the proof which was hoed best. Our infor¬ 
mant stated the result in substance as follows :—“ De¬ 
termined not to be beaten, I hoed my row, well, once a 
week, the summer through. I had not seen my assist¬ 
ant hoe his at all; but had observed that for a long time 
he was up in the morning before me. At length I 
found him before sunrise, hoeing his broom-corn, and I 
asked him how often he hoed it;—he answered, “ Once 
a day, regularly.” The result of the experiment was, 
his row beat mine by nearly double the amount.” T. 
