184 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
May. 
343 ; 390 to 179,537. The produce of wheat has declined 
from 101,178 bushels to 28,487, while Indian corn has 
increased from 1,775,073 bushels in 1840, to 2,295,856 
bushels in 1850. --— 
Fine Fat Cattle. — J. M. Sherwood, of Auburn, 
sent to New-York in March last, several very fine fat 
cattle, among which we particularly noticed a full blood 
Short-horn cow, Grace, and a pair of grade Short-horn 
oxen, five years old. The cow was ten years old, and 
had produced several calves. She was remarkable for 
smallness of bone, as well as for general symmetry, and 
was of uncommon fatness. Her live weight was 1,850 
lbs.'—dead weight—quarters, 1,210—hide, 101—tallow, 
153—total, 1,464 lbs. She proved to be heavy with 
calf, which undoubtedly detracted from her weight. 
The foetus with its appendages weighed 60 lbs. The 
live weights of the oxen were, 2,300, and 2,110 lbs. We 
have only received the weights of their quarters, which 
were, 1,588, and 1,360 lbs. 
Imported French Merino Sheep. —Mr. John D. 
Patterson, of Westfield, Chautauque county, N. Y., 
has lately obtained of Mr. J. A. Taintor, of Hartford, 
Ct., two rams and six ewes, imported from France. 
Three of them arrived in February last, and the others 
in the autumn of 1850. Like most others of this stock 
which have been brought to this country, they are of 
very large size for Merinos, and appear calculated to 
produce a great weight of wool. We notice that some 
of Mr. P.’s sheep have a finer staple of wool than we 
have generally found in this stock, and one or two of 
the ewes are almost faultless in shape, and the quality 
of their wool is quite even and uniform over the body. 
An Agricultural Convention composed of dele¬ 
gates from the various county agricultural societies in 
Massachusetts, was held at the State-House in Boston 
on the 20th of March last, for the purpose of taking 
measures in regard to the improvement of agriculture. 
Hon. M. P. Wilder was chosen president, and address¬ 
ed the convention in relation to the object for which it had 
been called. Several other addresses were made, and a 
series of resolutions reported and adopted, one of which 
recommended the establishment of a Central Board of 
Agriculture to be composed of delegates from the various 
agricultural societies of the commonwealth—the Board to 
meet semiannually or oftener, and to recommend to the 
societies measures for action • and to consider all subjects 
pertaining to the interests of apriculture. Another reso¬ 
lution related to the establishment of Agricultural 
Schools in the State,in which it wa sheld to be the duty of 
the government to aid; and the last resolution suggested 
to the legislature the propriety of reserving the proceeds 
of the sales of the public lands belonging to the State— 
11 from and after the period when the Common School 
Fund shall have reached the maximum fixed by the act 
of 1834—for purposes of education and charity, with a 
view to extending that aid and encouragement to a sys¬ 
tem of agricultural education.” 
Imported Horse Consternation. —It will be seen by 
Mr. Burnet’s advertisement, that the services of this 
fine horse are obtainable on very moderate terms. 
Flavor of Butter. —The market of Philadelphia 
has long been noted for the quality of its butter. Its 
peculiar flavor has been a subject of some speculation. 
G. Emerson, Esq., attributes it to the Sweet-scented 
Yernal grass, (Anthoxanthum odoratum ,) which is said 
to abound in the pastures near that city. We know of 
no good reason for this hypothesis, and would interpose 
a caution against a too extensive use of seed of this 
grass. It is not liked by cattle, as may be known by 
noticing that it is often rejected in pastures, when many 
other kinds, (especially the different species of Poa, 
spire or blue grass,) are eaten to the ground. It is in¬ 
clined to grow on cold, wet land, and is not a nutritive 
grass, according to analysis. Its odor is agreeable in 
hay , though it does not appear to be highly relished by 
stock in any state. —-— 
Improvement in Drill-machines. —An improvement 
in drill-machines has been made in England, by which a 
sufficient quantity of water may be deposited with the 
seed to insure its germination, even in the driest time. In 
many instances this may be of much importance. It often 
happens that sowing must be deferred, after all prepara¬ 
tions are completed, or else the seed must be put in the 
ground with more or less risk of its failure. Sometimes 
there is barely moisture enough to swell the seed, with¬ 
out fully developing the root and blade, and if it shrinks 
under these circumstances, it will seldom start again. 
By wetting the soil, as is said to be done by this drill, 
so as to bring up the plants quickly, all this risk may 
be avoided, the crop may be sown without any delay, 
and may frequently be forwarded considerably from 
what it could have been if sowing had been delayed till 
the earth was moistened by rain. For root-crops espe¬ 
cially, this will be of much advantage. The same ma¬ 
chine also drops ashes, plaster, bone-dust, guano and 
other fine manure, in the drill with the seed. 
Sanatary effects of Drainage. —President Hitch¬ 
cock, of Amherst College, in his late report on the 
Agricultural Schools of Europe, mentions a very striking 
case of the benefits of drainage on the health ann longe¬ 
vity of the inhabitants of the district. It was a part of 
a large tract of country in Frdftce, over which there 
was a ‘ 1 scattered and miserable population, the mean 
length of whose lives did not exceed twenty-five years.” 
The unhealthiness was caused by the periodical inunda¬ 
tion of numerous marshes, “ which brought pestilence 
with the overflow.” M. Nevicre, says President H., 
“ purchased 1600 acres, and in two years succeeded in 
draining all the ponds, and introducing successful cul¬ 
tivation with the most marked benefit as to health. Be¬ 
fore the drainage was finished, the percentage of his do¬ 
mestics, sick with fevers, was as high as twenty from 
June 15 to October 15. After the drainage the propor¬ 
tion fell successively to six, five, three, and finally to 
one-half per cent.” --- 
“ Improved Turbine Water Wheel.” —A corres¬ 
pondent in Pennsylvania writes to know, from some one 
who has this wheel in use, whether it performs all that 
is claimed for it in the advertisement. (See current 
vol., page 125.) The particular point on which infor¬ 
mation is wanted, is stated as follows: “ It is said that 
a seven foot wheel with 28 feet head of water, using 400 
