76 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
would be saved to the American hop grower, per acre, in the expenses 
above detailed; and that estimating the labor in both countries the 
same, the expense per acre here would be about $70. Calculating the 
average crop at 700 pounds, and the price 20 cents, the value of the crop 
would be $210, and the profit $140 per acre. These data will serve to 
show to our readers the profit of well-managed hop culture. 
Cashmere Goats. —We ought before to have mentioned, that a pair 
of these valuable animals, whose coats furnish the material for Cash- 
mere shawls, were shipped in France last winter, for Mr. J. D. Kin- 
near, of this city, and that the female only has arrived in safety, the 
male having died on the passage. This species of the goat is a native 
of Central Asia, and was introduced into France some dozen or fifteen 
years ago. We regret the loss of the male, and hope it will be re¬ 
placed. Mr. Kinnear is deserving of commendation for his endeavor 
to introduce this valuable animal among us. 
$3* A. W. Dunham asks, if ground lime-stone will answer for ma¬ 
nure, as well as burnt lime ? Lime-stone is carbonate of lime, the ma¬ 
terial sought for in marl, and is beneficial on soils deficient in this 
earth. Burnt lime is at first caustic, brings into action, as food of 
plants, vegetable matters in the soil inert, or insoluble. It gradually 
imbibes carbonic acid from the atmosphere, and ultimately becomes 
again carbonate of lime. 
“An Old Farmer ,” recommends to his brethren, that in clearing up 
land, they leave one or two trees, in the line of an intended fence, and 
where it is convenient to have gates or bars, to serve as gate or bar 
posts—as a matter of great economy. If bars are to be used, the mor¬ 
tices are to be partially cut in the sides, and a piece of plank or board 
nailed or pinned on as guards. The enclosures may be designated by 
the tree left for a post, as the hickory, maple or oak fields. 
PARSNIPS—AS A FIELD CROP. 
The labor and mode of cultivating the parsnip are about the same as 
those of the carrot. The parsnip produces the larger crop, its average 
product being rated at 24 tons the acre, and that of carrots at 12 tons. 
The parsnip also contains a far greater proportion of saccharine mat¬ 
ter than does the carrot, is grateful to the palate of farm stock, and is 
greatly conducive to their fattening. It possesses another advantage 
over the carrot, in its hardiness—it may be left in the ground till spring 
and is not injured by frost. In the island of Jersey it forms a regular 
part of the field system. The roots are fed in a raw state to hogs and 
horned cattle; the flesh of the former they are said to render delicately 
white, and the benefit derived from the latter is in the opinion of many 
growers, nearly equal to that obtained from oil cake, in point of the 
weight of flesh, and so superior in flavor, that in the island it always 
commands the highest price. Cows fed upon them during the winter 
months are stated to produce butler of a flavor and color equal to that 
of the most luxuriant grasses. In Jersey 25 pounds are given daily to 
the cows, with hay, and the cream is more abundant than from an 
equal quantity of milk from cows differently fed—seven quarts produc¬ 
ing as much as 17 ounces of butter. 
If the preceding facts, which we have mostly abstracted from British 
Husbandry , Vol. II. are correctly stated, and they appear reasonable, 
the culture of the parsnip, as a field crop, possesses great advantages 
over the carrot, if not over the mangold wurzel. It should not be con¬ 
cealed, however, that they soon cloy with neat cattle, if fed alone; and 
are not deemed so good for horses as carrots—the parsnip rendering 
them dull, and even affecting their sight; while the carrot is found to 
be more beneficial than grain, and is used in Suffolk instead of grain, 
at the rate of from four to seven bushels each horse per week. If any 
of our readers have tried the culture of the parsnip as a field crop, we 
should be much obliged to them for a statement of the results. 
THE TURNIP. 
“ No person,” says Lord Karnes, in his “ Gentleman Farmer,” “ ever 
deserved better of a country, than he who first cultivated turnips in a 
field. No plant contributes more to fertility.” 
The plant, although natural to a northern climate, and thriving best 
there, may be profitably grown in our southern states; indeed we have 
seen mention of their successful culture in Alabama. The southern 
summer has too high a temperature for their growth,, but the southern 
autumn has not. South of Pennsylvania, if not in Pennsylvania, we 
should think the crop might be left in the ground all winter, and fed 
thence to the farm stock; and in the more southern parts, they would 
continue to grow all winter. The time of sowing, therefore, should be 
adapted to the climate. In Scotland the Swede is sown the last of May 
and first of June; with us, it is sown the last of June and first of July; 
in Pennsylvania and Maryland, we think it should not be sown till the 
last of July and first of August; and in the southern states, not before 
September and perhaps October. 
Two important facts, ascertained by the analysis of the turnip, in 
Drummond r s report, speak highly in favor of the Swedish variety; they 
are found to contain a greater proportion of nutritive matter than other 
kinds, and the proportion of nutritive matter is found to increase with 
the size of the roots, while the nutritive matter of other kinds is found 
to decrease with the enlargement of the roots. The nutritive matter 
may be judged of by the solidity or density. Assuming the green top 
yellows as a medium standard, the following extract shows the greater 
or less density, and consequent nutritive properties, of each kind. 
Should weigh by 
Actual 
Species and varieties. 
size and standard. 
weight. 
Swedish, or ruta baga,.. 
2 
13 
12 
Green top yellow,........ 
00 
15 
00 
Red top yellow,.. 
.. 12 
00 
12 
10 
Dalis hybrid,.... 
........... 13 
12 
12 
00 
White adobe,. 
. 20 
8 
15 
8 
Red top white,...... 
S 
13 
00 
Green top white,. 
7 
' 8 
8 
White tankard,. 
. 16 
00 
14 
00 
Purple do .... 
10 
11 
8 
“ From the above test,” says the report, “ the superiority of the Swe¬ 
dish is very decided, and contrary to other sorts, greater size also in¬ 
dicates greater solidity; which entirely agrees with the products they 
have been found to afford, of nutritive matter, being fully six per cent, 
and in the larger roots, nearly seven per sent of their whole .weight; 
while the white varieties afford four per cent, and in the largest roots 
only three and a half per cent of their whole weight. Hence one acre 
of Swedes should be equal to one and a half of white, of the same 
weight.” __ 
Transplanting Evergreens. —We mentioned in our last volume, that 
on the 8th July, 1835, we transplanted from the commons, into our court 
yard, 2 P. M. under a hot sun, the thermometer at 82 3 , six white pine 
trees, from ten to fifteen feet in height, and feathered with limbs nearly 
to the ground. The six trees are all living, and are making a good 
growth of new wood. Evergreens are best transplanted, when actual¬ 
ly growing, and even when growing vigorously, if the influence of evapo¬ 
ration can be guarded against. In transplanting our trees, a circle of 
three or four feet was made with the cut of a spade around the tree, 
and there being no tap roots, it was raised to the cart with the earth 
attached to the roots-. The holes in which they were planted were 
nearly filled with water, and when the plants were adjusted, coarse 
barn-yard litter was thrown over the roots; this was well saturated with 
water, and covered with an inch or two of earth. The trees were wa¬ 
tered once or twice afterwards. 
INTERESTING FACTS IN CHEMISTRY. 
OF WATER. 
Ice, when converted into water, absorbs and combines with 140° of 
caloric. Water, then, after being cooled down to 32 ;) , cannot freeze until 
it has parted with 140° of caloric; and ice, after being heated to 32° 
(which is the exact freezing point) cannot melt till it has absorbed 140° 
more of caloric. This is the cause of the extreme slowness of these 
operations. There can be no doubt, then, that water owes its fluidity 
to its latent caloric, and that its caloric of fluidity is 140°.— Thompson. 
However long we boil water in an open vessel, we cannot make it 
the smallest degree hotter than its boiling point, or 212°. When arrived 
at this point, the vapor absorbs the heat, and carries it off as fast as 
it is generated.— Parke. Hence in cooking, we attain the greatest heat 
at the boiling point; though by increasing the fire, we increase the evapo¬ 
ration. 
Owing to the quantity of caloric that liquids require to convert them 
into vapor, all evaporation produces cold. An animal might be frozen 
to death in the midst of summer, by repeatedly sprinking ether upon 
him. The evaporation would shortly carry off’ the whole of his vital 
heat. Water thrown on hot bodies acts in the same way; it becomes, 
in an instant, converted into vapor, and this deprives these bodies of a 
great portion of the caloric they contain.— lb. This explains why wet 
grounds have the coldest atmosphere, and are subject to the latest and 
earliest frosts—the evaporation is greatest here, as is also the conse¬ 
quent loss of caloric. And it explains how draining wet grounds ame¬ 
liorates the climate, and promotes the health of a neighborhood—the 
water, instead of being evaporated from a broad surface, is concentrat¬ 
ed in narrow drains, and carried off. 
Steam is water expanded by caloric; and its force is equal to that of 
gunpowder. It is this expansive force which cause liquids to boil.— 
The vapor is first formed at the bottom of the vessel, and passing through 
the water, on account of its becoming lighter, causes that motion which 
we call ebullition. Water thrown into boiling oil, apparently explodes; 
a single drop coming in contact with the oil, would instantly, by its ex¬ 
cessive heat, be converted into vapor, and would force part of the oil 
over the sides of the boiler. 
When a living vegetable is moistened with water, and the sun shines 
upon it, two very important operations are performed at the same time, 
