594 TUB CULTIVATOR. June 
MONTHLY NOTICES—TO CORRESPONDENTS, &e. 
Communications have been received, since our last, 
from J. D. Jones, A Sucker, Nelson, Mars, N., Buel 
Baldwin, In H. Redfield,J. B., J. Towijsend. Jona. 
Whitney, jr., F. Brand, J. Holden, T. G., S?J. Wheeler, 
A. M., H. A. Parsons, P>, H. A. P., Prof, J. P. Nor¬ 
ton, Caius, S. W, Johnson, A. Van Voast, Alfred Hall, 
John W, Burrass, (dated Nov. 18, 1846,) C, B.Wood, 
F. J. Scott, Prof. E. N. Horsford. 
We are indebted to W. H. Hayward, Esq., Salem, 
N. H., for a paper of the “ Ribbon-stalk Pea,” noticed 
in our March number, page 95. 
OsP 3 We would invite attention to Dr. Close's com* 
munication in this number, in relation to a disease in 
cattle of a singular character. We can find nothing 
analagous to it in books, and have never before heard of 
such a disease except from one person. Payne Win¬ 
gate, Esq., of Hallowell, Maine, stated to the writer 
several years ago, that he had known the loss of several 
animals whose appearances, as he described them, cor¬ 
responded with those presented by the animals described 
by Dr. Close. We should feel obliged to friend Win¬ 
gate for any suggestions in reference to this disease. 
Three Steers of one Birth. —Col. Barker, of 
Clinton, Oneida county, lately exhibited in this city 
three fine steers, between four and five years old, pro¬ 
duced at one birth. They were bred by John Fulmer, 
Esq., of Warren county, New Jersey. They weighed 
in March last 5,600 lbs., or an average of 1,866 lbs. 
each. They are very near of a size*—there being only 
four pounds difference between two of them, and the 
other being only sixteen pounds heavier. Their shape is 
very good, and so near do they resemble each other in 
this respect, as well as in size and color, that ordinary 
observers can scarcely distinguish them. They are dull 
white, with a few small reddish spots. We understand 
the owner intends exhibiting them at the Saratoga Show 
in September. 
Singular.—George Hezlep, Esq., of Gustavus, 
Ohio, informs us that a mare belonging to Mr. Joseph 
Cowden, of that town, has lately produced two foals at 
a birth, one of which is evidently a mule, and the other 
appears tu be wholly of the horse species. The circum¬ 
stances are stated to be that the mare was served by a 
horse, and “ two days after” by a jack. If these ani¬ 
mals, when fully developed, should correspond with the 
description now given of them, they w’ill present an in¬ 
teresting circumstance to the naturalist. We would 
suggest, however, whether it is not somewhat probable 
that the diverse appearance of the foals may not be 
owing to a different cause from the one assigned. It is 
well known that offspring produced by an union of ani¬ 
mals of different species, or widely differing varieties, 
are quite various in their characteristics. Some mules, 
for instance, bear more resemblance to^ the horse and 
others more to the ass. A cross between the Merino 
and the Leicester or the Cotswold sheep, shows a great 
diversity—some possessing the large horns and the short 
and thick fleece of their Spanish progenitors, while 
others exhibit in equally as striking a manner, the lead¬ 
ing traits of their long-wooled parents. Even in a pair 
of twin lambs of this cross, we have seen such a marked 
difference that a cursory observer might suppose one to 
be 'purely Merino, and the other as purely Leicester. 
Now we would suggest that a sharp eye be kept on 
these foals, and as they approach maturity, see whether 
the assinine origin is not more or less exhibited in b<5th. 
Should one prove fertile and the other barren, we should 
regard it as evidence in favor of the hypothesis of a 
different parentage. 
We do not, however, deny that the animals in ques¬ 
tion may have originated as our correspondent has 
seated , but we deem the subject worthy a careful ex¬ 
amination. We believe there is an account recorded, 
perhaps by Dr. Pallas, but to which we cannot now 
refer, of a bitch having had a litter of puppies, some of 
which appeared to belong to a greyhound, others to a 
terrier, and others to a bull-dog. But in the above case 
of The mare, there must have been, according to the ac¬ 
count, a difference of two days in conception. We sub¬ 
mit to our medical friends whether such a case should 
not be regarded as one of super-foetation. 
Coating for Houses and other Buildings. —Hon. 
H. L. ElLswoRth gives us the following recipe :— 6 
lbs. of tallow, 1 bushel unslaked lime, 2 quarts salt, 2 
lbs. borax—color with anything wished. 
Agricultural School and Experimental Farm 
During the late session of the legislature, several peti¬ 
tions were presented by the Farmer’s Club of the Ameri¬ 
can Institute, asking aid from the state for the estab¬ 
lishment of an Agricultural School and Experimental 
Farm, to be placed under the care of the Institute. 
One of these petitions was referred to the committee on 
colleges, academies and schools, which, through their 
chairman, Mr. Burchard, reported a bill favorable to 
the prayer of the petitioners. The bill was not, how¬ 
ever, acted on, but lays'over to be called up at the ad¬ 
journed session in September. What action wall then, 
be taken on it cannot be predicted. 
Another report was made on the same petition, by 
Mr. Beckwith, chairman of the committee on agricul¬ 
ture. This report states that in the opinion of the com¬ 
mittee, “ the prayer of the petitioners ought not to be 
granted.” The reasons given for this conclusion, are. 
in substance, that if such an institution is to be aided by 
the funds of the state, it should not be located “ near a 
large city at an extreme part of the state, ” but in a 
more central situation; that the call on the state for 
funds, is made in advaqce-of any demonstration on the 
part of the petitioners to procure aid and means from 
other sources.” 
The committee, however, recommend the study of ag¬ 
riculture by means of books, in the Normal School, and 
in the academies and local institutions which are 
already established and endowed in all parts of the 
state. 
We do not propose at this time to discuss the princi¬ 
ples set forth in either of these reports; but will merely 
remark that it is gratifying to see that the agricultural 
interest is steadily and surely advancing to the position 
which it is entitled to hold, and from which it will, at 
no distant period, exercise its due influence on our legis. 
lative councils. The first and principal step towards 
securing this object, is the proper education of the rising 
generation of agriculturists. We are confident that 
causes are now in operation which will ultimately pro¬ 
duce the desired result. The language used by Mr. 
Beckwiti-i, in closing his report, happily expresses our 
own views: 
“ We hope the day is not far distant, when an unedu¬ 
cated farmer will be as rare a person as an uneducated 
lawyer, physician, or minister. We mean, too, by am 
education, something more than a knowledge of the 
mere routine of the farm, and farming operations; we 
mean by the term, a mental training, by which the man 
