48 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
mings plant in beds two and a half and three feet broad, and gather 
the crop the second year. Ten or twelve days after the roots are gather¬ 
ed, they put them in an oven moderately heated, and when sufficiently 
dried, gently beat them with a flail, to get rid of the clay that may ad 
here to them. The roots are then ground and sifted, dried again in 
the oven for a short time, and then spread upon a hair cloth to cool 
The madder is afterwards carried to a bruizing mill, reduced to a fine 
powder, and packed in barrels for market. 
Wood. —We propose, in our next, to publish, in compliance with the 
request of Milo Bartholomew, and for the general information of our 
patrons, directions for cultivating woad, for preparing woad cakes, 
and the mode of extracting indigo from the woad. This dye weed, we 
believe, may be profitably raised by our farmers; the manufacturer’s 
demand for it is daily increasing; and its culture is becoming impor¬ 
tant in a national point of view. 
Liming. —John Smith, of Morristown, N. J. gives us his experience 
in applying lime to low-land, the effect was to double the crops of 
buckwheat and corn, which were subsequently taken from the ground 
As Mr. S. has omitted to state the quality of the soil, or the contents 
of the field on which he applied fifty bushels of lime, we content our¬ 
selves with this notice of his communication. 
Analysis of Soils. —In compliance with the request of L. B. Arm¬ 
strong, we give directions for analyzing soils. We extract them from 
a treatise on agriculture, written by Gen. John Armstrong. It is the 
mode recommended by the French chemists. 
“ 1st. Take a small quantity of earth from different parts of the field, 
the soil of which you wish to ascertain, mix them well together and 
weigh them ; put them in an oven heated for baking bread, and after 
they are dried weigh them again; the difference will show the ab¬ 
sorbent power of the earth. When the loss of weight in 400 grains 
amounts to 50, this power is great, and indicates the presence of much 
animal or vegetable matter; but when it does not exceed 20 , the ab¬ 
sorbent power is small, and the vegetable matter deficient.—[See also 
Davy’s Elements.] 
“ 2. Put the dried mass into a vase, with one-fourth of its own weight 
of clear water; mix them well together; pour off the dirty water into 
a second vase, and pour on as much clear water as before; stir the 
contents, and continue this process until the water poured off is as 
clear as that poured on the earth. What remains in the first employ¬ 
ed vase, after these washings, is sand, silicious or calcareous. 
“ 3. The dirty water, collected in the second vase, will form a depo- 
site, which, after pouring off the water, must be dried, weighed and 
calcined, that is, reduced to a powder. On weighing it after this pro¬ 
cess, the quantity lost will shew the quantity of animal and vegetable 
mould contained in the soil ; and, 
“4. This calcined matter must then be carefully pulverized and 
weighed, as also the first deposite of sand, but without mixing them. 
To these apply, separately, sulphuric acid, and what they, (the earths 
and acids together) lose in weight, indicates the portion of calcareous 
earth contained in them. What remains in the first vase, after deduct¬ 
ing the lime, is silex; that in the other, alumina.” Carbonate of lime, 
termed calcareous earth, is composed of 55 parts of lime and 45 parts 
of carbonic acid; this acid is displaced and driven off by the muriatic 
acid, in consequence of its stronger affinity for the base. Hence, if the 
earths and acid weigh 45 grains less after the mixture than before, 
supposing the quantity experimented upon to be 400 grains, it shows 
that 45 grains of carbonic acid has been driven off, and that the soil 
contains 25 per cent of calcareous earth, or one-fourth. The proportion 
of this earth in good soils, varies from 10 to 30 per cent. 
To analyze Marl. —Pour a few ounces of diluted muriatic acid into a 
flask, place them in a scale, and let them be balanced. Then reduce a 
few ounces of dry marl into powder, and let this powder be gradually 
thrown into the flask, until, after repeated additions, no farther efferve¬ 
scence is perceived. Let the remainder of the powdered marl be weigh¬ 
ed, by which the quantity projected will be known. Let the balance 
be then restored. The difference in weight between the quantity pro¬ 
jected and that requisite to restore the balance, will show the weight of 
air (carbonic acid gas) lost during effervescence. If the loss amounts 
to 13 per cent, or from 13 to 32 per cent, the marl assayed is calcareous 
marl, or marl rich in calcareous earth. Clayey marls, or those in which 
the argillaceous ingredient prevails, lose only 8 or 10 per cent of their 
weight by this treatment, and sandy marls about the same proportion. 
The presence of much argillacious earth may be judged of by drying 
the marl, after being washed with the spirit of salt, (muriatic acid,) 
when it will harden and form a brick— See Orfila’s Practical Chemistry. 
A correspondent, J. A. writes, “among the machinery mentioned in 
the Cultivator, Concklin’s Revolving Press Harrow, is a great desideratum 
in farming, and to the ordinary roller adds many, if not all the advanta¬ 
ges, of Gen. Beatson’s Scarifying Machines. Can this be had at Al¬ 
bany or its neighborhood ?” We answer, not at present; but some are 
soon expected. Again. “ If the Mowing Machine be found to do its 
duty well, the owners of grass farms will become rich, besides getting 
rid of much human machinery, which is often difficult to obtain, and 
when obtained, very troublesome and vexatious.” 
Benefit of clay to farm stock in winter .—We have often been told of 
the efficacy of clay to farm stock, and particularly to sheep, in winter -, 
that it served as a salutary corrective to the animal stomach, when sur¬ 
charged with acid, or its heathful powers otherwise deranged. A com¬ 
munication which we solicited from Dr. Butler, of Oxford, which re¬ 
lated to the experience of Mr. G.Vanderlyn, was inadvertently omitted 
in our last. We have since been favored with a communication from 
Mr. Vanderlyn, on the subject, which will be found under the head of 
correspondence. The subject is worthy of the attention, and we think 
experiment, of the cattle and sheep farmer. 
COL. POWELL’S STOCK. 
Among the earliest importers of the improved Short Horn Cattle, 
was Col. John Hare Powell, of Philadelphia. At great expense and 
with great care in his selections, he made two or three importations 
between 1820 and 1830; and many of the finest animals in our country 
may be traced back to his stock. Col. Powell being about to relinquish 
his farming, to travel in Europe, has sold off his remaining stock at 
auction. We are indebted to our friend, Dr. Mease, for a catalogue of 
these fine animals, with the prices at which they sold, and the names 
of the purchasers, which latter were, we understand, mostly from the 
western states. We subjoin a part of the schedule, to advise bur read¬ 
ers of the high value to which the short horns have attained. 
Animals. Purchasers. 
No. 1. Mandane, imported bull,. Mr. White, 
Price. 
Ohio, 17 months old, . 
3. Mandane II. 2 years old,. “ 
4. Beilina II... % 
5. Beilina III. calf,. “ 
6. Bertram II. 2 years old,. “ 
7. Desdemona II. 2 years,. “ 
8. Bertram IV. calf,. “ 
9. Virginia II. “ 
10. Virginia III. 2 years, .. “ 
11. Florinda II. 2 years,. “ 
12. Adonis II. 18 months,. “ 
13. Brockley, 10 months,. “ 
14. Lubin, 10 months,. “ 
15. Denton, II. 10 months,. “ 
16. Burletta, II. 3 years,. “ 
17. Ruby, II. 3 years, .. “ 
18. Defiance, 9 months,. “ 
19. Powelton,. “ 
20. Daphne,. “ 
21. Daphne, II. . “ 
22. Yoi - k B elle, 2 years,. “ 
Neff,. 700 
Gratz,_... 510 
Gratz,. 560 
Neff,. 300 
Crugar,. 500 
Martin,. 480 
Purvis,...... 260 
Gratz. 500 
Purvis,__ 440 
Brent,. 590 
Denney,. 260 
Martin, . 305 
Morgan, .... 205 
Fitzhugh,.... 300 
Martin,. 340 
Brent........ 290 
Barney,. 270 
Harris,. 18Q 
Neff,. 100 
Ramey,. 185 
Barney,. 155 
$8,030 
The whole lot averaging $365 each. Who, after this, will doubt the 
propriety, or the profit, of rearing this valuable breed of animals. 
A correspondent who was present at Mr. .Powell’s sale, has kindly 
handed to us the following remarks : 
“The animals were in fine condition, and were very much admired 
by the numerous spectators. Mr. Powell certainly deserves great credit 
for his liberal exertions to introduce this superior breed of cattle into 
this country; and the above catalogue of his sale, will show how far 
he has been remunerated for his expense and trouble. Much benefit 
may be expected from the distribution of this herd. They were confined, 
however, to Connecticut, N. Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky. 
“Although the prices for which they were struck off, would appear 
high to many, still, they are much below what the same blood could be 
obtained for in England. Those imported by the Ohio Co. and passed 
through this city last summer, would not compare with these in sym¬ 
metry of form or blood-like appearance, although they were obtained 
at high prices. 
“The great objections to the colour of this breed are fast giving way, 
and the time is not far distant when the pure unalloyed Durhams will 
supersede the present race now in this country. Ohio and Kentucky 
have entered into the spirit of improvement with a zeal and determina¬ 
tion, highly to be approved of; and they now possess more of that 
breed than all the other states put together. Other states will follow 
the example, and the demand will increase. The importance of breed¬ 
ing from animals with correct and pure pedigrees, is beginning to be 
appreciated. Is he or she, as the case may be, thorough bred, and 
can you give a full pedigree? is the first question now asked. In Eng¬ 
land they are as tenacious of the pedigree of their cattle, as the Arabs 
are of their hor ses.” _ ' 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 
Our legislature have passed an act providing for a geological survey 
of the state. Similar surveys have already been made in the states of 
