312 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Sept. 
The soil in the vase that I have sent you was taken up 
with the plants. The vines increase rapidly from run¬ 
ners, seeds and shouts, and will take root and throw up 
shoots wherever they touch the ground. This plant is 
easier cultivated than any fruit with which I am ac¬ 
quainted, and is perfectly adapted to almost every soil 
and location under good management. I also send you 
specimen plants of an early variety of the low bush 
cranberry which I took yesterday from a bog about 20 
miles north of here. The blows were of a deep scarlet, 
and I should think the early buds extremely liable to be 
injured by late spring frosts. They are propogated dif¬ 
ferently from the bell variety, and the leaves presented 
the same shrivelled appearance while growing, that they 
do now after being taken up. The plants stand thick, 
scarcely any weeds or grass appearing among them, and 
cover, I should think, about two acres. I was informed 
by persons in the vicinity that the fruit is not large but 
of good quality. These vines were the largest specimens 
that I could find after diligent search. F. B. Fanchek. 
Lansingburgh, N. Y 
Ramhouillet Sheep. 
The first fine wooled sheep that were allowed to 
go from Spain, were selected from the best royal flocks 
of that country, and presented by the King of Spain to 
the King of France. Since about the year 1787, these 
several flocks have been mixed and bred together, under 
the control of the government of France. The Minister 
of Agriculture is annually elected, and has the control of 
the flock. He resides in Paris; but the Director resides 
on the farm at Ramhouillet, about forty miles from 
Paris. He keeps the books, and registers the birth, 
death, and sale of every animal,- which is known by its 
respective number, which is told by more or less notch¬ 
es cut in the ears, and the rams have an additional num¬ 
ber, or figures burned upon the side of the horns. This 
method of registering, gives the lineage back for more 
than fifty generations. 
These sheep are well sheltered throughout the winter, 
and at night during the summer. The lambs are allow¬ 
ed to drop in the month of January. These, and no 
other flocks in France, are allowed to graze unless at¬ 
tended by a shepherd and his dogs. There are no fences 
in France. The sheep are allowed to feed along side, 
and close to fields of wheat and other grain. It is won¬ 
derful and quite amusing, to see dogs protect the grain, 
though the flock may be within reach of it. 
At Ramhouillet, the surplus sheep of the government 
flock are annually disposed of at public auction, which 
takes place on Sunday. This year it came off on the 
the 27th of April. There were no ewes sold; but fifty- 
one superior rams sold at a price averaging about $210. 
Fifty of them were fifteen months old, and their average 
live weight was 186 pounds, as registered upon the 
books. 
These rams are never put up at a less price than 260 
francs. If not taken by bidders, they are withdrawn, 
and afterwards disposed of at private sale. All of the 
rams were sold to go out of France; nine of them only, 
were bought by Americans. The balance went to Rus¬ 
sia and Australia. 
Upon looking over this splendid flock of about 400, 
and other superior flocks of Merinos, in different parts of 
France, it was a wonder to me that none had gone to 
England, and but a short time since none had found their 
way to America. Probably one-sixth of all the pure 
Merinos, of this enormous size and weight of fleece, 
have been purchased by Americans, and a majority of 
them within a year. These sheep are not only superior 
for their great production of wool, but they will event¬ 
ually supersede the best English breeds for mutton. 
SolomonW. Jewett. Weybridge, Vt., July 8, 1851. 
Average Yield of Wheat in New-York. 
We wish to correct a mistake contained in an editori¬ 
al note in The Journal of Agriculture. It is laid down 
as a “ fact,” that “the average crop of wheat in the 
state of New-York, at this time, does not exceed 12| 
bushels per acre.” It is also stated in the same para¬ 
graph, that thirty years since this state averaged 30 
bushels per acre, and that the state of Ohio at that time 
averaged 35 bushels per acre, and now produces but 15. 
We know not on what these statements are based, 
though we recollect having seen the following in Prof. 
Mapes’ Working Farmer: “ Such practical farmers 
have caused the wheat crops of New-York to fall from an 
average of 30 bushels per acre, to 12| bushels, and of 
Ohio, from 35 bushels to 15.” 
The statistical returns of 1845, gave an average yield 
of the wheat crop for New-York, of 14 bushels per acre. 
This is the lowest average for which we have any data. It 
will be remembered that it was taken at a time when this 
crop, in a large portion of the state, was nearly destroy¬ 
ed by the “ weevil,” or wheat-midge. It was the inju¬ 
ry done by this insect, and not the exhaustion of the 
phosphate of lime from the soil, (as stated in the note 
above mentioned,) which produced the deficiency. 
We are inclined to think that a very general error has 
prevailed on this point. That many farmers have prac¬ 
ticed an exhausting course of cropping is unquestionably 
true; but so far as regards the failure of the wheat crop 
in this state, we are confident that the chief cause has 
been the injury done by the insect referred to. We have 
numerous statements from farmers to this effect; that 
their wheat grew as well, and appeared as promising as 
ever, and that the only drawback to the yield was the 
shrinkage of the grain from the attack of the insect. This 
is supported also by the fact, that as the midge has de¬ 
creased in numbers—which it has done greatly in the 
eastern part of the state, within the last few years—the 
crop has increased—the yield of the last two seasons 
having been equal to any ever realised here. 
But what reason is there to believe that the average 
yield of this state ever amounted to 30 bushels per acre, 
or that of Ohio to 35 bushels? This statement seems alto¬ 
gether unsupported by evidence. As regards Western 
New-York, we have the testimony of the best wheat- 
growers, that the crop of that section has been heavier 
on the average, for the last six years, than it ever was 
previously. [See current vol. Cultivator, pp. 166, 167.] 
Fashion makes foolish parents, invalids of children, 
and servants of all. 
Trust him little who praises all, him least who is in¬ 
different about all 
