THE CULTIVATOR. 
June 
19 ? 
of all the productions of the earth, should have been 
made the special victim! 
Of late, we have not thought it an object to occupy 
much time or space in reference to the potato disease 5 
but having seen in the Gardener*s Chronicle , an account 
of a very complete series of experiments tried last year 
in the garden of the London Horticultural Society, we 
are disposed to give our readers a brief abstract. 
In the experiments alluded to, the soil and seed were 
treated in various ways, and the proportion of diseased 
tubers ascertained on digging the crop. The sub¬ 
stances employed were lime, charcoal, salt, chloride of 
lime, potash, fat, sulphuric acid, coal-tar, chalk, sul¬ 
phate of soda, nitrate of soda, sulphur, and sulphate of 
magnesia. In some cases these substances were mixed 
with the earth near thejpotatoes, and in other cases the 
sets or tubers were sprinkled with the substances before 
planting. The various articles were applied not only 
separately, but mixed in almost every way, and the 
rows thus treated, carefully compared with each other 
as to yield and condition, and also with parallel rows 
which received nothing. Full tables (for which we 
have not room) are given, showing the results in each 
particular case. No conclusion could be deduced from 
either of the trials, or from the whole taken together, 
in favor of the usefulness of any application or treat¬ 
ment. The Chronicle remarks, so capricious was the 
enemy in its attacks, u that a result obtained in one 
place was directly reversed by a result in another place 
only a yard or too off—there being no appreciable dif¬ 
ference in soil or situation or circumstance. For ex¬ 
ample, the percentage of diseased potatoes found where 
nothing had been used in the soil, was as high as 32.50 
and as low as 5.74. And although in the cases of 
some applications no disease whatever was found when 
the crop was taken up—nevertheless, in many instances 
the very same applications were found connected with 
above 50 per cent, of disease.” 
In connexion with the above, experiments were tried 
with seedling potatoes, and also with wild ones from 
South America. The seedlings were from seed obtain¬ 
ed from various parts of Germany, from Poland, and 
from some districts of England. Some of the plants 
were started in hot-beds and afterwards transplanted 
to open ground, and others were grown entirely with' 
out protection. The tables show that all these suffer¬ 
ed as badly as other varieties. The account says— 
u seedlings, concerning which so much obviously un¬ 
founded expectation was entertained, proved no more 
exempt from the disease than old and long cultivated 
varieties.” 
The wild potato fared no better. V/e are told— 
“A perfectly wild form of the root, fresh from its native 
mountains, exhibited the characteristic blotches in a 
worse degree than any other sort in the garden.” 
Farming on Thirty-seven Acres. 
In our last volume, (page 180), we gave an article 
being the substance of a statement of J. G. Chadsey 
to the officers of the Rhode Island Society for the En¬ 
couragement of Domestic Industry. From the report of 
the doings of the Society for the year 1847, we notice 
that Mr. Chadsey’s farming still continues profitable, 
He observes—“'As my farm has been more productive 
the present than any former year, I will briefly state 
the net proceeds of my crops, so far as ascertained. 
My mode of cultivation has been the same as before 
communicated to the Society, and shall, therefore, 
omit particulars, in order to avoid a repetition of my 
last year’s statement, I have cultivated about two 
acres more than last year, and increased my farm ex¬ 
penses very considerably, mostly for labor, which have 
been met with more than a corresponding increase of 
products. I have already (Dec., 1847) sold $842.43 
worth, and estimating the balance at the same rate, 
my crops the present year will amount to $1410 60 
Expenses, viz : for labor, board, manure, 
farming utensils, &c. 564 69 
For the use of my farm of 37 acres, $845 91 
Curing Corn. 
I last year cut up a portion of my corn and cured it 
“Yankee fashion.” I succeeded well, not losing an 
ear in a hundred bushels. The fodder was the best I 
have ever seen. It was cut part in September and part 
October. I am determined to save my corn fodder 
that way hereafter for many reasons: 1. The corn is as 
good if not better than by the old way of gathering. 
2. The fodder is greatly superior. 3. The field is 
cleaned by the operation, and with the help of a cut¬ 
ting-box, the stalk is returned in manure, much more 
advantageously to the land. 4. Our way here, requi¬ 
red walking over a field six times to gather fodder and 
corn, whilst this" requires but three times. S. M. 
Hyams. Nachitoches, April , 1848. 
Aaiswers to Inquiries. 
“ Family Bolter.”—Jethro, Reclusa, Georgia. 
Fitzgerald’s mill has a portable bolter which may be 
attached to it, and will make the finest of flour from any 
kind of grain. The bolter may be had at the Albany 
Agricultural Warehouse —price $40. 
“ Cabbages turning to Turnips.” —C. N. B., 
Orient, L. I. The cause of cabbages turning to tur- 
neps is, probably the mixture of the two species while 
in blossom. The whole of this tribe ( brassica ) will 
mix in this way, and they should on this account be 
kept at a distance from each other when put out for 
seed. 
Fish manure for Onions. —C. N. B. We have 
never tried fish manure for this purpose, but should 
suppose a compost made with fish and well worked 
over, would answer well. 
Nitrate of Soda. —S. J. W. The South Ameri¬ 
can article could be had in New York for about five 
cents per pound, by the quantity. Its value as ma¬ 
nure as indicated by experiments, has been various. 
Its effects are generally more obvious in the growth of 
straw than in grain. 
R. R., Fayetteville, N. C.—We sowed a part of the 
same lot of Osage Orange seed, and we should think 
nearly every seed vegetated. Yours may come up this 
spring. 
Steel Cultivator Teeth.. —T. B. Alabama. The 
price of Rogers’ improved Cultivator teeth is 50 cents 
each, by the quantity, or 62s cents single. They weigh 
three' pounds each. 
Fattening Sheep in Winter. —E. F., Forkston, 
Pa. The quantity of grain fed to sheep per head, dai¬ 
ly, varies with the kind. Of Indian corn, from two 
gills to a pint, and in some cases a quart, are the quan¬ 
tities usually given. It is customary with the best 
feeders to give some potatoes and other vegetables in 
connection with the grain. 
Churning by Water-power.— E, F. A discharge 
of five gallons of water per minute, with eight feet fall, 
would probably work an overshot wheel, by which the 
“ milk and cream of a dozen cows ” might be churned. 
American Pippin— E. F. The apple described un¬ 
der this name by Downing, is not identical with the 
Newtown pippin, though he mentions that the latter is 
frequently called by this name abroad. The American 
pippin is called in some sections the Grindstone. It is 
chiefly valuable for late-keeping. It is of a dull red 
color, with star-like russet specks. Its form is round' 
ish, somewhat flattened j keeps till Jun§. 
