146 
THE CULTIVATOR 
April. 
“ Horticultural Flow.” 
The above is a cut of a plow, which we are informed 
was invented by Mr. John Wilkinson, Principal of the 
Mount Airy Agricultural Institute, Germantown, Pa. 
It is described as follows: 
“ The purposes for which this plow is designed, are for 
tilling among trees, and along fences, particularly thorn 
hedges. By shifting the front beam, which turns on an 
axis, fromed of the front end of the main or stationary 
beam, this plow may be made to run after the near or 
off side animal of the team, as desired, thus without 
the least difficulty, enabling the plowman to perform 
good and straight work as close to the fences or trees as 
he desires. 
‘ ‘ Any ordinary plow that is adapted to sward plowing, 
and even one that is considerably worn, will, when alter¬ 
ed, by attaching the shifting beam, answer well for this 
purpose, as its use will not be required but little, com¬ 
pared with other plows; hence a plow considerably worn, 
will do as well as any. The shifting beam is attached to 
the stationary one, by framing into it, at right angles 
with it, a piece of timber of the same size, about ten 
inches long, with a semi-circular groove cut into it at the 
other end, so as to fit it to the stationary beam, to which 
it is attached by means of a piece of band iron, 3 inches 
wide, and 4 inch in thickness, around the round parf of 
the beam prepared for it. There are two braces of \ 
inch round iron, one above and the other below, attach¬ 
ed by the same bolt, at the back end of the shifting 
beam, from which they extend back to the main beam 
near the handle, where they are again attached by a bolt, 
which is removed when the beam is to be shifted, and 
the braces are brought back to a line with the shifting 
beam, when the beam is turned to the opposite side, 
and the braces again bolted to their place.” 
Seed Potatoes. 
Eds. Cultivator— In communications in the Novem¬ 
ber and January numbers of The Cultivator, on the 
subject of seed potatoes—the first bj r Mr. Murray, 
of Ohio, the other by Mr. Gold of Connecticut—• 
it is claimed that those of the smallest size are equal 
if not superior to large ones, for seed. Now this is a 
subject, as Mr. Murray says, of great importance to the 
farmer; for if from small and indifferent seed, can be 
produced fair and large potatoes, as he remarks, it is 
time it was known. 
There is no crop the farmer raises, that requires so 
much seed, or the seed of which costs so much to 
an acre, as potatoes—ranging from eight to twenty 
bushels—the difference being one quarter in large or 
small seed; or if it takes sixteen bushels, which is about 
the average of fair sized potatoes, to plant an acre, the 
same might be done with four very small ones, making 
a difference of twelve bushels—no small item at present 
prices, or fifty cents per bushel, which would be six dol¬ 
lars in favor of small seed in planting one acre. 
Not doubting the correctness of either of your cor¬ 
respondent’s statements, for I have heard similar ones, 
from respectable sources, I still am in doubt as to any 
good resulting from the practice; on the contrary, my 
experience and observation having led me to a different 
conclusion. For six years I have planted both large and 
small seed—sometimes from necessity, but have always 
carefully noted the difference, which has been uniform¬ 
ly and decidedly in favor of large seed. 
I will specify two cases. In the spring of 1849, I 
planted two acres of potatoes, a portion of which was 
planted with small seed. Where I planted large seed, 
I had good potatoes, but where the small seed was 
planted I had very small, poor potatoes—the whole being 
new ground. 
The past season I planted the same number of acres, 
but reserved a quarter of an acre, which I planted with 
small seed from the size of a walnut up to that of a hen’s 
egg. The result was as all former crops had been with 
me, they were all small and worthless, besides being 
more affected by the rot than where large seed was used. 
The difference in the vines, was perceptible as far as 
my potato patch could be seen. Those vines where I 
planted small seed, being not half the length of the 
others, besides having a slender and sickly appearance 
from the time they were out of the ground till they 
were harvested. 
The ground had laid in pasture and meadow for forty 
years, never having been plowed before. I think the 
principle holds good of selecting the best of seed for 
raising potatoes, as much so as for corn, wheat or any 
crop raised on the farm. 
Not doubting but good crops may have been raised, 
occasionally, from small seed, yet were I in want of 
seed, and had to buy, I would make three times the 
difference between large or small potatoes. J. Yan 
Denburgh. Jamcsville, N. Y., February, 1851. 
■-- 
Agricultural Reading——Root Culture, &c. 
Eds. Cultivator —There is no doubt that agricultur¬ 
al reading is a stimulus to agricultural enterprise. The 
success of one prompts others to effort; but in order to 
insure success, there must be an appreciation of the 
circumstances which were conducive to success in the 
undertakings of others. Difference of soil or of season, 
or both, may lead to entirely different results. There¬ 
fore a man in reading in your journal of large crops 
