132 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
April? 
ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. 
C. F. Bancroft; of East Calais, Yt., inquires—1. 
“ When is the best time to graft?” Plums and cherries 
should be grafted very early, before the buds have begun 
to swell, usually before the frost is all out of the ground 
—apples and pears may be grafted either early or late, 
provided the inserted scions have not much swollen, but 
they make a better growth if it is done before the buds 
of the stock burst. 
2. “ When is the proper time to transplant wild black¬ 
berry and gooseberry bushes—how are they to be treated 
—and how far apart are they to be set?” They should 
be transplanted as early in spring as the frost and super¬ 
abundant moisture are out of the soil, and before the 
leaves appear—they should be treated with the same care 
and skill that the best transplanted fruit tree receives— 
the distance may be three to five feet. 
3. 11 Will apple seeds, kept frozen during the winter, 
and sown early in spring, grow as well as if sown the fall 
previous?” Quite as well, if kept in good condition, and 
sown before sprouting ■ and if the soil is heavy, they will 
do better, unless covered after autumn sowing with sand 
and muck to prevent the formation of a crust. 
Lime-stone for Manure.—Wm. C. Hoffman, of 
Frederick, Md., inquires whether “ground lime-stone 
will not answer the same purpose as burnt lime-stone.” 
There has been a great deal of theoretical reasoning on 
the operation of lime, and very few rigidly accurate ex¬ 
periments but it is obvious to every one that a thin coat¬ 
ing of burnt lime applied to the soil, must in a few weeks 
at furthest receive again its full amount of carbonic acid 
—but as its efficacy is known to continue for years, it 
cannot be essential whether it be applied caustic or as a 
carbonate. Hence ground lime-stone would doubtless 
answer the same purpose as lime or marl. The only ob¬ 
jection is its hardness, rendering difficult the process of 
grinding. 
Breaking Oxen.— A correspondent says, “ Say to 
those about to break oxen, don’t tie their tails together ; 
I tried it twice, and in both instances had one of their 
tales pulled off shortly after yoking them, after which 
they sustained no further injury, though, as the sailor 
said, I sometimes found 1 the starboard ox on the lar¬ 
board side/ and the yoke turned. I do not believe in 
their breaking their necks.” 
J. H., Harrisburgh, Ya. See Emery & Co.’s adver¬ 
tisement in this number, for answer to your inquiry. 
Planters. —W. C. S., Farrowsville, Ya. We should 
recommend Bachelder’s Planter for corn, on very stony 
land. The price, we believe, is $14. It may be procured 
of A. B. Allen & Co., New-York, or of Emery & Co., 
in this city. We know of no Illinois plow, to be had, 
either here or in New-York. 
Reapers. —D. Z., Youngstown, Pa. You can obtain 
Hussey’s Reaping Machine by addressing O. Hussey, 
Baltimore, Md., and McCormick’s by applying to C. H. 
McCormick, Chicago, Illinois. 
N. Y. State Ag. Sogiety. —A bill, renewing the act 
of incorporation of this Society, has passed both branches 
of the Legislature. 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
North American Sylva. —This work contains accu- 
rate descriptions and beautifully colored engravings of the 
forest trees of the United States, Canada and Nova 
Scotia. The elegant typography and binding of the 
volumes, make them an appropriate ornament to the 
parlor table. Every American must feel a sort of na¬ 
tional pride in having always at hand, the dark, rich 
green foliage of the forests of his own country, and the 
directions for the cultivation and propagation of our na¬ 
tive trees, give the work a positive value. The engrav¬ 
ings and descriptions are from the original drawings and 
notes of Michaux and his son, who spent several years 
in exploring the forests of this country, in all their length 
and breadth. Subsequently the work has been prosecu¬ 
ted by the distinguished Nuttall, and may now be con¬ 
sidered quite complete. Published by R. P. Smith, of 
Philadelphia, and G. P. Putnam of New-York, in six 
volumes. Price $45. 
Littell’^ Living Age. —This periodical has so wide 
and well-earned a reputation, that nothing new can be 
said in its praise. It has maintained the same unwaver¬ 
ing character amid the fluctuating spirit of the times, 
and constantly presents a true exponent of the current 
literature of the day. It contains elaborate articles for 
the profound, pleasing ones for the casual reader, and 
instruction every where. Published weekly, at Boston, 
Mass., by E. Little & Co. 
The International. —In the March number we find 
an account of those wonderful beings, the Aztec children 
—a beautifully illustrated description of Chats worth, 
a moralised legend by the most unique and interesting 
of American story writers, Nathaniel Hawthorn; with 
the usual rich and entertaining miscellany. 
Harper’s. —The March number, opens with a new 
story by Jacob Abbott, which no one, who has ever 
read the productions of this attractive author, will fail 
to be interested in. “The recollections of St. Peters- 
burgh” let us into some of the absurdities and peculiarities 
of Russian manners and society. “ Personal sketches 
and reminiscences” of living authors, by Miss Mitforb, 
is an interesting article, from a work now in press by 
Harper & Brothers. A new novel by Chas. Dickens is 
announced for the April number. 
Analysis of the Sweet Potato. —B. Kirtland gives 
in the Family Yisitor, the following results of his analysis 
of the sweet potato: 
In 119.5 grains of the ashes of the vines, and 104.07 
grains of the ashes of the roots, there were, 
Vines. Roots. 
Sand and charcoal,. 6.800 2.490 
Sand and silica,. 4.530 
Phosphate of protoxide of iron... 2.700 1 938 
Phosphate of lime,. 11.567 11.067 
Phosphate of Magnesia,. 6.133 4.493 
Phosphate of potash,. 53.067 46.720 
Sulphuric acid,. 2.766 1903 
Phosphoric acid,. 1.498 8.272 
Chlorine,. 5.985 3.272 
Carbonic acid,. 24.091 23.820 
119.137 103.975 
