258 THE CULTIVATOR. 
August 
better average quality than any previous one, in con¬ 
sequence of the relative increase of the finer wooled 
stock. The flock comprises two or three families, the 
older individuals of which were bred by themselves. 
Thus there is what is called the “ Yates flock,” origi¬ 
nally purchase of Mr. Yates, of Otsego county, which 
does not produce as fine wool as his other families, but 
are large-bodied, strong, hardy sheep, bearing heavy 
fleeces; and would be a valuable stock to carry to the 
prairies, or to sections where they would be subjected 
to considerable exposure and rough fare. 
The following memorandum shows the weight of the 
fleeces of the different, classes of ewes in the flock for 
the present year. They were washed on the 19th 
of June, shorn on the 23th, 29th, and 30th of that 
month. 
Yates family, 22 ewes, 106 lbs. 8 oz. averag’g 41bs. 9 oz. 
Jewett do 13 do 
Old flock, 25 do 
BlaKeslee family, ) 
110 of which 47 were 
48 
81 
14 
14 
12 
4 2-5 
yearlings, 20 
two- 438 
I 
3 15| 
o\ 
years-old, and 43 
aged. ) 
Sixty-four rams, ) 
Blakeslee family, of j 
which 44 were year- i g 
lings, 11 two-years- f 
old, and nine over | 
that age. ) 
In the Blakeslee family of ewes, there was one dou 
ble fleece, (5 lbs. 6 oz,) and in the rams of that family 
two double fleeces,.(16 lbs., and 12 lbs. 6 oz.) The 
above averages are exclusive of floor-locks—adding 
those, the total average is 4 lbs. 4 1-16 oz. 
[EF Some of Col. S.’s fleeces have been left with B. 
P. Johnson, esq, Secretary of the N. Y. State Agri¬ 
cultural Society, at the Society’s rooms, old State Hall, 
where they may be examined. 
The South-Down rams offered for sale by Col. S., are 
a capital lot, and will furnish an opportunity which 
other breeders of this valuable breed of sheep should 
improve, to obtain superior animals. 
Fine Strawberries. —Messrs. Tilden, of New-Le- 
banon, will accept our thanks for some handsome spe¬ 
cimens of Hovey seedling strawberry. The measure¬ 
ments of some of the berries were 4^, 4, 3f, 3| inches 
in circumferonce. 
Morgan Horse Gen. Gifford.—Squire M. Brown 
writes us :—“ The General Gifford is doing well here. 
We select for him the best mares we have, and expect 
to rear from him a stock of horses of which we may justly 
be proud.” Passing through Camillus a few weeks 
since? we had an opportunity of seeing this horse. He is 
an animal of great substance, spirit and action. He is 
heavier than many horses which appear to a cursory ob¬ 
server to be considerably larger. His precise weight, 
as we were informed by Mr. Munro, one of his owners, 
is 1,040 pounds. His patronage is even greater than 
is desired. 
Seed of the Tulip Tree— Liriodendron Tulipife- 
ra. Information is wanted in regard to the mode of 
rearing this tree from seed. If any of our correspon¬ 
dents can furnish this information, they would confer a 
favor. 
Black Hawk and Sir Henry.— In our July num¬ 
ber, we published a communication from Messrs. San¬ 
derson & Co., of Burlington, Vt., in reference to the 
challenge of Messrs. Hill, of Bridport, contained in 
their advertisement in oqr May number. Messrs. S. 
& Co., as will have been seen, propose to exhibit their 
horse Sir Henry, against Black Hawk, on the condition 
expressed by the question —which is the best horse , as 
a getter of roadsters?” The principles by which the 
question should be settled, to be, substantially, the 
points and appearances of the horses and their proge¬ 
ny—the same to be judged of by individuals mutually 
agreed on. 
We have received a note from Messrs. Hill, under 
date of 13th of July, requesting us to say that they 
will meet Sir Henry with Black Hawk at Saratoga, at 
the time of the Fair of the New-York State Agricultu¬ 
ral Society—the points of excellence to be considered 
by the judges, to be as follows: 
“ 1st, superiority of form; 2nd, ease and elegance 
of action; 3rd, greatest speed in trotting, to be tested 
by a match for the distance of ten miles—Black Hawk 
to be driven in harness, and his owners allowing Sir 
Henry to be either driven in harness or rode, and to 
have three minutes start. The horse, which in the 
opinion of the judges, excels in a majority "of these re¬ 
quisites, to take the purse.” 
Messrs. Hill also say— a We are ready to meet 
Sanderson & Co. at Saratoga, and compare the merits 
of the stock of Black Hawk and Sir Henry, on sucking 
colts, yearlings, and two-year-olds—the purse to be 
from $100 to $200 each. This challenge to stand open 
six weeks.” 
Burr’s Seedling Strawberries. —We invite at¬ 
tention to the advertisement of Mr. Burr, of Colum¬ 
bus, Ohio, describing his seedling strawberries. Most 
of the varieties have been highly recommended by 
committees of the Columbus and Cincinnati Horticul¬ 
tural Societies. The committee of the Columbus So¬ 
ciety are of opinion that for the soil and climate of 
that region, at least, several of the seedlings are su¬ 
perior to any other varieties in cultivation. 
ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. 
Mediterranean Wheat. —C. P. Upperville, Va. 
This wheat has, so far as we have learned, done well in 
this State. You say it stands the winter and 'flyfcbetter 
than any other kind you have. Such, also, is its repu¬ 
tation here. It is about ten days earlier than most 
other kinds of winter wheat cultivated here. Millers, 
we are told, will not give so much for it by three to 
six cents per bushel, as for the best white wheat. As 
to the u favorite kind of wheat” here, we cannot say 
which it is. In Western New-York the White Flint, 
and Soule’s wheat are highly esteemed; but some kinds 
are best adapted to some sections or soils, and others 
to other sections. 
Cultivators. —A Farmer, Liberty Miils, Ya.— 
We know of no cultivator which will reduce stiff* soil, 
to a state suitable for Indian corn, without a previous 
preparation by a plow. The cut of a cultivator given 
in our February number for 1846, was copied from an 
English work. We have seen one or two of that kind 
of implements, which were imported to this country, 
but have not known any like them made here. We 
should suppose, however, that they might readily be 
made from the cut, by any man accustomed to such 
work. We cannot say whether either of the other kinds 
of cultivators, for which you inquire can be had south 
of New-York; but we do not think either of them 
would be adapted to your stiff*soil. [See an article on 
cultivators in this number.] As to a plow for stiff-clay 
soil, we do not think the one you inquire for, would 
be best. We are not, at present, certain what kind 
kind would be most suitable. 
Lamtas.— B. D. L., Stratham, N. H. This affec¬ 
tion is most common in young horses, while they are 
shedding their teeth; and it is supposed to arise, fre¬ 
quently from inflammation of the gums, which spreads 
to the bars across the roof of the mouth, causing them 
to swell, sometimes beyond the level of the teeth, and 
