1852 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
315 
motion, &c. Our observations were not sufficiently mi¬ 
nute to enable us to point out which machines promise 
the greatest efficiency; but we could not fail to observe 
the extraordinary difference in the manner of running. 
Some were so imperfectly made, and their centers of 
motion so badly combined or connected, that their tremor, 
oscillation, and noise were prodigious; while others ran 
with a steadiness, precision, and quietness, that was ad¬ 
mirable,—nothing was scarcely to be heard but the shrill 
hum of the cylinder, and the whistling of the grain and 
straw as it shot through the machine. Among the latter 
we observed H. L. Emery’s patent, exhibited by Emery 
& Co. of Albany, and that of Eddy & Co., of Union 
Village, Washington county, N. Y. Others equally good 
may have escaped our notice. 
Drills, Cultivators, &c. 
Several of the best grain drills were tried, but oppor¬ 
tunity was not afforded to decide understanding^ upon 
their merits, by simply witnessing their operation. They 
were thoroughly examined by the committee, whose re. 
port will soon be made known. The same may be said 
of the cultivators, and the new contrivance for cultivating 
wheat in drills, attached to Seymour’s Sower. A gang- 
plow, from Scottsville, N. Y-, consisting of four mold- 
boards attached to one beam, connecting two wheels, and 
on which the whole was supported, and the width of 
which could be increased or diminished,by a simple and in¬ 
genious contrivance, was the best thing of the kind we 
have seen. With three horses, it easily and neatly in¬ 
verted the surface of barley stubble, turning a strip of 
ground three and a half feet wide at a time. Such an 
implement as this would certainly prove a great saver of 
labor with farmers generally. Several cast-steel plows 
were exhibited, and some of them successfully tried in 
a plowing match under the direction of the citizens of 
Geneva. One made by Prouty &, Mears, did excellent 
work. If plows of this kind could be made hard enough 
to last as much longer than cast plows, as they exceed 
them in price, (about one-half more.) their superior 
lightness and strength, and their diminished friction on 
heavy soils, would render them most economical for or¬ 
dinary use. Future experiments must determine these 
points. 
We must not close this report without mentioning, 
among the articles exhibited in the tents, Salmon’s im¬ 
provement on Booth’s Grain Separator. A mixture of 
equal portions of wheat and chess were passed rapidly 
through, and a complete separation of the two kinds of 
seed effected at one operation—-not a single grain of chess 
could be detected among the wheat, by a very careful 
search. This result was produced by the strong current 
of wind made to sweep upward against the falling seed, 
sufficient to carry off all the chess, but suffering the 
wheat to pass. A persevering use of this machine for all 
seed wheat, would, in connexion with good farming, soon 
do away the very common opinion, that this weed springs 
up from grains of wheat, some farmers having already 
succeeded in entirely driving it from their farms. 
We cannot conclude without expressing the hope that 
this trial is but the precursor of others, which shall by 
further experience, be conducted with such precision and 
accuracy of measurement, that none can dispute the de¬ 
cisions of committees for correctness, as we trust is the 
case in the present instance, so far as they have gone. 
—-- 
Osage Orange Hedges. 
Messrs. Editors—I read an article in the Ohio Cul- 
tivor some time ago, on the cultivation of the Osage 
Orange as a hedge plant, written by Byron Jackson. I 
like Mr. Jackson’s mode of cultivation pretty well, but 
I differ with him somewhat, notwithstanding. He cuts 
the plants off about two inches above the ground, when 
they are first set out, which is about right; the next year 
he cuts them off one foot above, which I think is too 
high; next year two feet, and gives it three cuttings, one 
in the spring, one in July, and one in September. 
Now let me give you my plan. I set out 16 rods in 
1848, as an experiment. I cut it off about three inches 
above the ground—plowed,‘and kept it hoed clean. Next 
spring, 1849, I cut it off about seven inches above the 
ground—plowed and hoed as before; and in June I cut 
it off to 13 inches. In the spring of 1850, I cut down 
to 21 inches, and in June cut it down to about 30 in¬ 
ches. I do not trim mine but twice a year. I trimmed 
it once in March, about the usual time of trimming ap¬ 
ple trees, and there came a cold spell of weather soon 
after, and several of them died, and I supposed that to 
be the cause of it. I think they ought to be cut pretty 
late in the spring, and not more than twice a year. If 
cut more than that, the growth will be so small that they 
will be almost sure to freeze to death; however, I have 
never lost but two or three plants by freezing, and they 
were in a low piece of ground, where a small ditch ran 
through the hedge. The first season the ends of the 
shoots froze from one to two feet, but they are injured 
less every winter, and thus far, this winter, they are 
searcely injured at all, and the mercury has been 24 Q 
below zero. I have cultivated mine every year, so far 
but do not intend to this season. It is now about eight 
feet high, and five feet wide, (but must be cut down 
some in the spring,) and will turn all kinds of stock ex¬ 
cept chickens; they will hunt some little open places at 
the bottom, and creep through, but by another season I 
think it will turn them too. I have about 30 rods of the 
Virginia thorn, planted in the hedge row last spring; it 
is from two to four feet high now, and does look splen¬ 
did. I think the Virginia thorn will make the prettiest 
hedge, and I dont know but the best one—but it takes 
it so much longer to grow, that I rather prefer the Osage 
Orange. I am much pleased with hedging, and intend 
to surround my orchard with plants for an efficient hedge 
next spring, notwithstanding Mr. Wilkinson gives it 
some pretty heavy knocks. J. H. Claypoole. Fort 
Madison , Iowa , Feb. 1852. 
- -- 
Beef Trade at Chicago. —The Prairie Farmer asserts 
that more than half the beef butchered in the United 
States, is packed at Chicago—and that in 1850, the 
amount had reached 50,000 barrels. 
Cost of Silks. —About thirty six millions dollars, 
including duties, commission, profits, &c., were paid iu 
1851, by the people of the United States, for imported 
silks. 
