1858. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
289 
ftfftei for tk poiiti]. 
Atkins’ Self-Raking Reaper. —This machine was 
in successful operation on the farm of B. B. Kirtland, 
Greenbush, on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, 
and elicited the approbation of every one who saw it. 
It is impossible to convey in words any idea of the me¬ 
chanical construction of the raking attachment. The 
cutting apparatus does not differ materially from that 
of other reapers, but at regular intervals an arm, to 
which a rake is attached, extends itself to the farther 
part of the api'on, slowly draws itself the length of the 
apron pressing the grain against a plate, where it holds 
it till it swings around a quarter of a circle, clear of the 
machine, and coolly deposits its neat sheaf on the 
ground, when it immediately returns to repeat the pro¬ 
cess. The machine is not of heavier draught, appa¬ 
rently, than other machines—'and it does its cutting 
fully equal to any reaper we have seen work. While 
it has no superior as a practical thing, it is a curiosity 
worth quite a pilgrimage to see. It comes the nearest 
to being instinct with life, and manifesting signs of in¬ 
telligence of any piece of mechanism, not excepting the 
steam engine. The advertisement of the agent, J. S. 
Wright, may be found in another column. 
Agricultural Education. —A correspondent of the 
Geneva Courier, proposes to convert the Medical Col¬ 
lege of Geneva, into an institution for instruction in the 
Science of Agriculture. His proposition, as we under¬ 
stand it, is to appoint four professors on Agriculture and 
the sciences particularly connected therewith, who are 
to lecture during the winter months, thus enabling the 
sons of farmers who work at home during the summer, 
to devote the time during which they can best be spared 
from the farm to the study of the general principles of 
agriculture. This plan is the same in character as that 
contemplated by the University of Albany, and which, 
but for the unfortunate and lamented death of the late 
Prof. Horton, would have been carried into effect. Be¬ 
lieving that such a plan was best adapted to supply the 
present wants of our farmers’ sons, we earnestly de¬ 
sired to see it carried into effect here, and we shall 
greatly rejoice if the trustees of the Geneva College or 
any other institution in the State, shall make provision 
for suitable courses of lectures for our young farmers 
during their seasons of leisure. It "would afford facili¬ 
ties for instruction and improvement, now nowhere to 
be obtained, and which, we doubt not, would be appre¬ 
ciated by the agricultural community. 
Emery’s Mowing Machine. —Since the trial of 
mowers at Greenbush, Mr. Emery has succeeded in sim¬ 
plifying his machine, so as to render it more compact, 
more easily managed, and more readily adapted to un¬ 
even surfaces. This has been done by removing the 
forward wheels and balancing the machine on the dri¬ 
ving wheel, at the same time retaining all the advanta¬ 
ges of the hollow-knife-bar, crank axle, and the ar¬ 
rangement of the cutter. The machine has been in use 
the past week, and will, we predict, become one of the 
most valuable mowers. The change in its form does 
not prevent its working equally well as a reaper. 
Mr. Howard, of the Boston Cultivator, says of if—■ 
“Its operation was decidedly improved, especially as 
to the facility of turning. The cutting apparatus ap¬ 
pears to be very perfect, and its work was done in a 
manner not to be excelled. With some further modifi¬ 
cations in reference to avoiding its side draft and sim¬ 
plifying its management, it may take the field in fair 
competition with the best.” 
Town Ag. Society. —The Annual Cattle Show of 
the Cape Vincent, (Jefferson Co.) Ag. Society, will be 
held on the 8th of September. 
Tannic Acid for Strawberries. —In an article 
on the culture of the strawberry, in a recent number of 
a Hew-York Journal, we find the following:— 
“Scientific cultivators have applied tannic acid to 
their beds, and have expressed their full conviction of 
its value as a fertilizer. Messrs. Ilovey and others 
have ridiculed the application without, as it seems to 
us, presenting any very satisfactory experiments to 
back up their opinions. They attribute the increased 
size and the improved flavor of the berries to the water 
in which the tannic acid is administered to the plants, 
rather than to the tannin.” 
We should be glad to know what u scientific cultiva¬ 
tors” have applied tannic acid to their strawberry beds. 
That spent tan-bark has been used as a mulch for 
strawberry beds, and with the best effect, we know,— 
also that such beds have been freely watered with a 
liquid consisting of “one gallon of tan-bark liquor to 
one hundred of water,” with a good effect, we do not 
doubt; but that there was any tannic acid in the spent 
tan or in the tan-bark liquor remains to be shown. If 
we mistake not, the authority for this statement is the 
same as that which proclaimed that “toads were very 
fond of strawberries, and select the best for their own 
eating,” and that there is just as much proof of the one 
statement as the other. 
Comstock's Tf.rra-culture. —I am more than ever 
convinced that Comstock's system is not a humbug, and 
I know that there is not one farmer in ten, and I think 
not one in one hundred, but what violates his laws (which 
I believe are the laws of nature,) in cultivating corn 
and potatoes, and most other crops. I have done more 
than most, I think, but all who I know, do it more or 
less. If he says “ nothing more than all well informed 
men know,” I have never seen the operations of a well 
informed man in a potato field. If any one pretends to 
give his secret, he had better hand it over so as to bene¬ 
fit the world. I don’t advise any man to break his 
honor; but I don’t like to have it go out that all the 
secret is out when nothing of much benefit is before the 
public. How is it with corn, potatoes, rye, wheat, oats, 
&c. ? My corn looks well, potatoes very good, &c. I 
must still believe that his system is a law of nature, as 
plain as the “ nose on a man's face,” only it has es¬ 
caped our notice. David Lyman. Middletown , Conn. 
Rosendale Cement. —This Cement can be procured 
of W. R. Barrett, Ho. 120 Pier, Albany—price 
$1.37£ per barrel. 
