THE CULTIVATOR. 
119 
1851. 
up my pen particularly to say that the multiplied 
changes going on around us, demand a corresponding 
change in the crops. The farmer must have his eyes 
open, and adapt his products to the changing market. 
What profits would the merchant make, who persisted 
in purchasing the same articles year after year, without 
consulting the wants of his customers? However honest 
and attentive the tradesman is, these old fashioned goods 
must lie on the shelf, or be sold without profit. In like 
manner the producer who persists in cultivating his land 
in the same manner that his father did before him, and 
raising only those articles that custom has made him 
familiar with, must be content to fall in the rear, and 
see himself outstripped by his neighbor, who has an eye 
open to the change going on around him. Manufactur¬ 
ing establishments are springing up like mushrooms, in 
our midst, and the iron horse comes snorting through 
our farms, laden with the produce of more fertile lands, 
and it becomes us to note the effect of these things. 
We must change the step when the tune changes. I 
know we Yankees are apt to pride ourselves in being 
shrewd, and ever ready to turn a penny; but there are 
others shrewd beside ourselves. The world is jogging 
on, and we must keep up with it. In the article of wool, 
which has been one of our staples, we cannot hope to com¬ 
pete much longer with the prairie farmer, when facilities 
for producing and transporting has so much increased. 
In dairy products also, it cannot be deenied that our 
western friends, have the advantage of us. To what 
then shall we turn our attention? some one may ask 
with a feeling of despondency. I would by no means 
discourage the eastern farmer. The list of our products 
is a long one, and we only need to make a judicious 
selection, and cultivate with skill, and our profit and 
loss account will stimulate us to further effort. In the 
vicinity of manufacturers, garden products will pay much 
better than the corn and wheat of Ohio. True the 
market may be limited for these articles, but the adage 
that “ Demand creates supply,” is no more true than 
its converse, supply creates demand. Few families en¬ 
joy through the year, the various vegetables, and the 
reason is they cannot be obtained. Fresh meat also 
must be furnished to eastern markets mainly by eastern 
producers. The various fruits too, must be supplied 
mostly by home production, and the supply of these 
never equals the demand. I need not particularise more. 
Each must judge for himself what products his market 
and soil demand. Our census shows a rapid increase of 
population, and an increase of wealth in still greater ratio. 
The times demand increased skill and energy on the part 
of the tiller of the soil—not merely bodily labor, but 
mental activity, a mind awake to the capacities and 
wants of the age. Berkshire. 
French Sheep-Dogs.— An English traveller speaks 
of the dogs which are used in Normandy, in the manage¬ 
ment of sheep, as being uncommonly valuable. He thus 
describes one: 11 The animal was some cross of the breed 
commonly known in England as lurchers; and the quick 
sparkle of the eye, and the ready and eager intelligence 
of his face as he watched his master, and flew round and 
round the flock at the slightest gesture, or merely mum¬ 
bled word of direction, were really beautiful to see. 
The shepherd told me he was a most valuable dog—he 
would not sell him for 200 francs.” 
ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. 
Protecting Fruit-trees from Sheep, and from the 
Sun.— G. M., Lowell, Mass. The plan you speak of, 
nailing three boards, uprightly, round each tree, would 
be the best protection, both against sheep and the hot 
sun. It would not be safe to trust sheep in a young 
orchard without guarding the trees in some way. After 
the trees have rough bark, sheep will seldom gnaw them. 
Sometimes they will run in a young orchard for months 
without barking the trees; but while the trees are 
small, there is always a liability of the bark being eaten 
off by sheep, if they are allowed to run in the orchard. 
Egg-hatching Machine.— a Constant Reader ,” 
Springfield, Mass. We cannot tell where such an arti¬ 
cle as you inquire for can be had. All those which have 
come under our observation, we are sorry to say, have 
not answered the expectations which were at first raised 
in regard to them. 
Grass for Meadows.— 11 A Correspondent ” inquires 
of what kinds of grass Mr. Clapp’s meadow, mentioned 
in our January number, page 54, was composed We 
have understood it was chiefly Phleum pratense, timothy, 
(herds-grass of New-England,) and Agrostis vulgaris , 
red-top. If this is not so, Mr. C. will please inform us. 
The kinds of clover seed inquired for, (medium or south¬ 
ern and white,) as well as red-top grass seed, can be had 
at most seed-stores in New-York, Boston, or this city. 
Carrots.—^. J. L., Williamsport, Pa. Bather light 
loams are best for carrots. To produce a large crop, the 
oil should be rich; that which has been well manured 
for a crop of Indian corn the previous season, will do 
well; if more manure is added for the carrots, it should 
be well mixed with the soil. The ground should be 
plowed deep and fine, and the surface smoothed and 
cleared from lumps by the roller and light harrow, be¬ 
fore the seed is sown. The crop may be put in early in 
May. Be sure to have good seed of the previous year’s 
growth. About two pounds per acre will be required. 
Its cost is usually about a dollar a pound. It may be 
sown with a drill-barrow in rows sixteen inches apart. 
For a field crop, the plants may be thinned to spaces of 
three inches in the row, and they should be kept clear 
of weeds. 
Multicole Bye. — H. fy J. B., Springfield, Mass. This 
grain may be had of Emery & Co., Albany, at $1 per 
bushel. 
Corn-Sheller. — J. H. C., East-Windsor,Ct. Smith’s 
eorn-sheller is adapted to horse-power, and is capable 
of shelling 100 bushels an hour. It may be fed by shovels 
or baskets. It is for sale by Emery & Co., Albany— 
price $50. 
Marl of New-Jersey. —C. H., Painsville, Ohio. The 
“ blue marl” of which you speak as being found in New- 
Jersey, is probably what geologists term green-sand. 
Its value as a fertilizer is chiefly due to potash, of which 
it contains a large proportion. We are not aware that 
the blue clay of Northern Ohio contains potash in any 
proportion that would render it valuable as manure. 
Water Lime. —B. H. V.B., Butternuts, N.Y. This 
article in its natural state, is usually mixed more or less 
with sand and sl;%£e. It contains also magnesia and iron, 
1 to which properties its cementing power is supposed to 
