1853 . 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
225 
“Memorials op John Pitkin Norton,” is the title 
of a handsome volume issued by the family of the late 
Professor Norton, for private distribution, and to whom 
we are indebted for a copy. It has for a frontispiece, a 
correct and life-like portrait of Prof. Norton, and em¬ 
braces the funeral sermon occasioned by his death, 
preached by Rev. Dr. Porter, of Farmington, Conn., 
the biographical sketch published in The New-Eng¬ 
lander, and the obituary notice published in The Cul¬ 
tivator, and some other papers—the whole forming a 
beautiful tribute to the memory of one whose early 
death was alike deeply deplored by personal friends and 
the public. The more we learn of him—of his Chris¬ 
tian character—of his amiable, modest and unassuming 
deportment—of his thorough devotion to the cause he 
had espoused, the more deeply do we lament that one 
thus lovely and gifted, and so highly favored by abene- 
ficent Providence in all the circumstances of his life, 
should have been taken from us at a time when his 
public labors, extensive and influential as they had al¬ 
ready proved, were daily becoming more important and 
necessary to the progress of agricultural science. We 
hope an edition of this volume, or a memoir prepared 
for the purpose, with a selection from his writings, will, 
ere long, be given to the public. 
Liming and Analyses. —A scientific correspondent 
writes, in relation to this subject:—“No doubt the 
analyses of soils are useful or satisfactory, though I 
think they have been much over-rated. If I recol¬ 
lect right, in Dana's. Muck Manual, he sneers at the 
idea of liming land, because it is cheaper and better to 
apply specific manures. Every one to his fancy; but 
South Eastern Pennsylvania would have been a compa¬ 
ratively barren district without lime; and more especial¬ 
ly as plaster loses much of its effect, unless the land be 
limed. Still I object not to. chemical analysis, if we 
expect not too much from it.” 
OCT" The Working Farmer demands an apology 
from us for “ having given publicity to an analysis of 
the super-phosphate of lime under false colors,” having 
asserted, as he says, that it was made by “ Professor 
Johnson” of Yale College. Will “ Professor” Mafes 
have the kindness to point cut the page in The Counirxy 
Gentleman or The Cultivator, where we have favored 
our correspondent, Mr. S. W. Johnson, with the title 
of Professor in Yale College? We certainly think Mr. 
J. more worthy of the title than many to whom that 
euphonious sobriquet is attached, inasmuch as he is one 
of the most thorough and devoted students of agricul¬ 
tural chemistry, that our country has produced. Far¬ 
ther, after pursuing a course of study with Prof. Non- 
ton, at the Laboratory of Yale College, he did honora¬ 
bly hold the chair of Professor of Chemistry in the State 
Normal School, which gives him full claim to the title. 
But one of Mr. Johnson's virtues is modesty; and when 
he saw the title of “ Professor,” attached to his name 
in an advertisement in our columns, he requested that, 
as its use might mislead the public, it should be removed. 
He also wrote to Longett & Griffing of New-York, stating 
that he “ was not, and did not expect to be Professor 
in Yale College,” who forwarded his statement to us. 
We did not, however, consider the matter of sufficient 
importance to allude to it. There will be sufficient time 
to defend Mr. Johnson, when his analyses are shown to 
bo incorrect by better authority, and his statements 
disproved. 
Having never “ favored Yale College with a Profes¬ 
sor not known to its faculty,” w t c suppose we shall be 
allowed to continue our “agricultural iabors” till some 
more serious, or at least truthful charge is brought 
against us. In the meantime, we beg leave respectfully 
to solicit the attention of “ Prof. J. J. Mafes, L.L.D.” 
to an article on the 53d page of the May No. of the 
Penn. Farm Journal, which, in our humble opinion, is 
more worthy his serious consideration than the inno¬ 
cent, though erroneous attachment of “Prof.” to the 
name of our correspondent. By the way, while on the 
subject of titles, will Professor Mapes be pleased to in¬ 
form us in what Institution he has had the honor to he 
a “ Professor,” and what Institution did itself the 
honor to confer upon the editor of the Working Farmer 
the degree of L.L.D. ? We are not disposed to doubt 
that he came legitimately enough by his prefix and 
suffix; we only wish to know what college deserves the 
credit of thus distinguishing the gentleman. 
New Steam Dryer. —Attention is invited to the 
advertisement of Mr. Bulkley, of Indiana, in this 
paper. The invention, if it equals the promise it 
affords, is an important one, and will prove of great va¬ 
lue, especially to the corn-growers of the west, as by it 
the meal may, at a comparatively trifling expense, be 
so prepared as to secure its safe shipment to any part of 
the world. Mr. B. has sent us six beautiful samples 
of meal and hominy, which were all made at one grind¬ 
ing, and kiln-dried at the rate of twenty bushels per 
hour. The cost of the operation, Mr. B. informs us, is 
about two cents per bushel. 
Wheat and Straw.- —Boussingault gives the follow¬ 
ing, as the ordinary proportion in weight between the 
grain and straw, as quoted from different observers, and 
it may be worthy of notice in this country, where straw 
is becoming a valuable product, and where a crop of 
thirty bushels of wheat per acre, will in the same ave¬ 
rage rates, give about two tons of straw. 
Thaer, .grain. 1000. straw, 2000 
Podewils, .... « ' 1000. “ 2857 
1000. 
1000. 
1000. 
1000. 
“ 2292 
“ 3030 
“ 2584 
“ 2272 
Berger 
Block,... 
Dierexen, 
Schwertz, 
Every farmer is aware that the character of the sea¬ 
son has a marked influence on the relative proportion of 
of each, some years yielding large, well filled, heavy 
grain, on a small amount of straw, and others an abun¬ 
dance of straw, with small light heads of grain. Bous¬ 
singault mentions an instance of crops grown in two con¬ 
secutive years, differing most strikingly in this respect, 
the first (1840-1) the season was very wet; the second, 
(1841-2) was remarkable for extreme drouth, both pre¬ 
senting extraordiary extremes. In these two years, the 
weight of the grain to the straw was, 
1840- 1, 1000 grain to 4162 straw. 
1841- 2, 1000 “ to 1116 « 
Connecticut Valley Farmer and Mechanic.— 
We have received Nos. 1 and 2, of a monthly journal with 
this title, established at Springfield, (Mass.) by S. 
Bowles & Son, and edited by Wm. B. Calhoun, Esq., 
a gentleman, we infer from the Nos. before us, well 
qualified for the task. We have not seen a new paper 
for a long time, that pleased us as well as this. We re¬ 
fer to another page for a very interesting article on the 
“ Flax Culture and Manufacture,” copied from this 
paper. 
The Southern Agriculturist was commenced at 
Laurensville, S. C., at the beginning of the present 
year, under the editorial management of our old friend 
Col. A. G. Summer, and his brother Wm. Summer, one 
of the best horticulturists of that State. It is ably and 
judiciously edited, and we hope it will receive the large 
support it so richly deserves. 11. M. Stokes publisher— 
monthly at $1 a year. 
The Kentucky Cultivator is published monthly, 
at Covington, by John Atkinson, at $1. With the 
No. for June, it entered upon its second year. 
The Iowa Farmer and Horticulturist has made 
its appearance at Burlington. It is a dollar monthly, 
and is edited by J. W. Grimes and J. F. Tallant. 
It is worthy of a large circulation, and if properly sup¬ 
ported, and cannot fail of accomplishing much for the 
benefit of this new and flourishing agricultural State. 
If it shall accomplish its mission as successfully as has 
the Prarie Farmer at Chicago, its editors and proprie¬ 
tors will richly deserve the gratitude of their country¬ 
men. [In relation to the error which it points out in 
the 17th No. of the Country Gentleman, it is proper to 
