122 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
CLOVER, GRAPES AND RUTA BAGA IN NORTH-CAROLINA. 
Sir —Time at present permits melo remark merely, that although 
the outlines of farming operations in the South are the same as in the 
North, yet there are peculiarities requiring strict attention, in order to 
success here. For instance, to uniformly succeed with clover, I find 
it necessarry to sow here the last of September or first of October, so 
as to avoid on the one hand, the heat or hot sun of summer, and on the 
other the freezes of winter. The scorching heat of the summer’s sun 
often destroys clover sowed in the spring. My manner cf sowing is 
this: I plough the ground, (usually after taking off an early crop of 
corn) and having harrowed in my wheat, sow the clover seed immedi¬ 
ately, or before any rain falls, and leave it to be washed in by a succeed¬ 
ing rain. The success of plaster I find is more uncertain here than in 
the North. I have tried it however, successfully, on clover and cotton 
—but never with any perceptible effect on corn. 
I would briefly state, as to grape culture, that I have not succeeded 
with foreign kinds of vines, nor foreign manner of culture ; but beyond 
my expectation, with native plants, or those obtained from various 
parts of the Union, and of established reputation, and some natives of 
this state and county. After planting, I keep the ground well stirred 
around with a cultivated crop; such as the cabbage, ruta baga, atid 
mangel wurzel, and trim and pinch off all laterals, to train the vine high 
and in preparation for eventual scaffolding. By this plan I have vines 
of last year’s planting with 40 or 50 fine clusters of grapes. 
I would take the liberty to suggest, that some of the views on the 
turnip culture, expressed in the number of your periodical coming to 
this office, are not altogether correct, at least so far as my experience, 
and that of my neighbors prove. From repeated experiments here, I 
find that the ruta baga, to succeed well, must be planted generally be¬ 
fore the middle of July. The crop I raised about three years since, as 
stated in the American Farmer, producing more than 600 bushels to 
the acre, was planted the first part of July. Other turnips are com¬ 
monly sowed here towards the last of August. Most of my ruta bagas 
left out the two winters past, were destroyed by the severity of the 
weather. So were common turnips in these parts. Previously ruta 
bagas stood out during the winter without injury. 
Yours, &c. with great respect, SIDNEY WELLER. 
Brinkleyville, Halifax County, N. C Sept. 1st, 1836. 
STRAW CUTTER. 
Dear Sir —No agricultural implement promises mare to the farmer 
than the Straw Cutter, both as it respects the economy of fodder and 
the condition of farm stock. And it is gratifying that the improve¬ 
ments in this article are already so complete. That we can save at 
least one-third of the food of our horses, cattle and sheep, in the use of j 
the straw cutter, is an important consideration ; and is a reason most 
conclusive why this implement should be found upon the premises of 
every farmer. And I think that the day is not far distant, when it 
will be considered as important an appendage to the farm as the plough 
or the harrow. Its great utility needs but to be understood, and the 
cost of the article will be no barrier to its general use. 
These remarks have been suggested by reading the extra Cultivator 
for August, containing a pictorial representation of Green’s Patent 
Straw Cutter, certificates, recommendations, &.c. of that implement. 
That this is the most simple and efficient machine of the kind that has 
yet been offered to the public, we do not feel disposed to deny; but that 
“ it is just what we farmers want,” is saying more than I am disposed, 
after having witnessed its operation, to admit. To the doctrine of your 
neighbor of the “Three Hills Farm,” that long cut feed is preferable 
to feed cut short, I must beg leave to dissent, as opposed, in my judg¬ 
ment to common sense, and the more general experience of those who 
have been in the habit of using cut-feed. If feed is better long than 
short, why cut it at all ? One of the principal objects of the Straw Cut¬ 
ter, is to assist ’the animal to perform the operation of mastication. 
Now it appears perfectly reasonable to my mind, that the shorter the 
food the less the quantity that will find its way into the stomach, with¬ 
out undergoing this process. Common sense on this subject would 
seem to inculcate the sentiment that the shorter the food the better. 
And besides, it is generally admitted that animals consume it more 
readily when short, and that there is far less waste. 
I apprehend, that to a vast majority of our observing, intelligent 
farmers, it will be no recommendation to Green’s Straw Cutter, to tell 
them that it cuts from one to one and a half inches long, and so far as 
I have heard an expression of opinion on this subject, it has been that 
the feed cut by this implement was not sufficiently short, and it will, I 
apprehend, be found that the doctrine and practice of the Three Hills 
Farmer, and of the Boston Livery Stable, in this matter, will not be 
the doctrine and practice of the great majority of farmers, when this 
subject is more fully understood.* 
* Our friend Frey is probabjy not aware, that Green’s Straw Cutter is made 
with 24 as well ns with 12 knives, and that the former cuts fodder half an inch 
long only.— Cond. 
These remarks are not made from any design to injure the enter- 
prizing individuals at Lockport, who are manufacturing the article. 
With them I have no controversy. But when the opinions of indi¬ 
viduals find their way into the public prints, it is a right we all enjoy, 
who entertain different views, to controvert and oppose them. 
For the information of all interested in this subject, I would remark 
that another implement of the kind will soon be offered to the public, 
which in my opinion is far superior to any thing of the kind yet pro¬ 
duced. It is a new invention, by an Englishman—and will be called 
Firth’s Patent Straw Cutter. It is just what we want—a good, sub¬ 
stantial, neat and well made article. It is so constructed that it may, 
by simply turning a screw, be set to cut feed either- long or short, from 
one quarter to an inch and a quarter, to suit the taste of individuals. 
It has two knives, and these are easily taken off when they require 
sharpening, and the machine will not be subject to get out of repair. 
I make these remarks, not because I have any personal ends to serve, 
but in justice to a worthy individual, who will have contributed, when 
his machine is once introduced, an important benefit to the farming 
public. Respectfully yours, &c. 
Palatine Brid ge, Uth Sept. 1836. _JOHN FREY. 
EVILS RESULTING FROM BAD ROADS. 
Michigan, September, 1836. 
J. Buf.l, Esq.—Sir—One of your correspondents, in a late number 
of the Cultivator, glances at the subject of roads. His object'seemed 
rather to hint at the importance of bestowing more thought upon their 
structure, than to suggest any plan: but what was there said, in con¬ 
nexion with the tremendous labor of traversing, as I was endeavoring 
to do when I saw the article alluded to, some of the roads in this sec¬ 
tion of country, brought the subject of roads and road making, forcibly 
to my mind. Whoever has spent much time in a new country, and 
taken the trouble to trace the perplexities and privations there to be 
met, to their true causes, will agree I think, that at least four-fifths of 
these privations are chargeable to the state of the highways. In this esti¬ 
mate I include moral, as well as physical, inconveniences—and it is 
this latter consideration, which gives importance to the fact. Pass 
your eye over the log houses in Michigan as she is, and western New- 
York as she was twenty-five years ago. Observe the spirit and reso¬ 
lution with which the sturdy emigrant enters that cottage, and see the 
neatness and good order that is disclosed in eveiy nook and corner 
that is under the supervision of his wife—look at the children:—tidy, 
well dressed and comfortable. Let a year or two pass, and look again. 
You see the man with his improvements extended—his stock increased, 
and his property appreciating: but when he thinks of the road he is 
obliged to traverse, for various necessary purposes, you see his coun¬ 
tenance fall, and his heart sickens within him. Look at his wagon— 
his harness—his bars—his oxen—his horses: mud from top to bottom ; 
—look at the man himself—his boots—his pantaloons;—covered with 
mud. He dreads, and well may he dread, a four mile journey with his 
team, for any purpose, and avoids it as long as possible. The interior of 
his house shows, that its overseer has somewhat faltered. Why should 
she not? Who sees the fine order in which she had been accustomed to 
keep every part of her dominions? Few and far between are the ob¬ 
servers of this neatness: and its cost, in labor, is doubled, aye quadrupled 
upon her. See the children, who before looked so cheerly and so well:— 
a change has come over every thing around the dwelling. Suppose, 
now, that when this man and his little family, landed at their habita¬ 
tion, every road in the country had been as good as the McAdam road 
from Albany to Troy: —what would be the appearance of things in and 
about that house?—Vastly above the starting point, in every respect. 
And why? Simply because the man, with his wife, and his children, 
would have journeyed, and mingled and associated, and formed inti¬ 
macies with others above, as well as below, themselves in respect to 
comforts. A constant and living intercourse, the ground work of the 
difference which is perceived between town and country, between sparse 
and dense populations, between countries where you can move, and 
countries where you are clogged, hampered, fettered, would have been 
kept up,—and the moral bearing of good roads would receive, in this 
single instance, an illustration so palpable and so powerful, that the 
impression would never wear off. 
Stop social intercourse, and we should assume the moccasin and the 
blanket, sooner than is generally supposed;—the slightest check, tends 
to the same point. 
But I am losing sight of the object that induced me to trouble you ; 
which was to say, that in the senate of your state, in 1831 or 1832, a 
report was made by the committee on roads, accompanied by a bill, 
authorizing towns, at their annual meetings, to determine by vote 
whether their highway taxes should be paid, within certain prescribed 
limits, in money; and prescribing the manner in which the money, if 
the town should determine to raise it, should be applied. I do not 
know the details of this bill, and am not certain that a copy of it can 
be found on the files; but I have heard it spoken of favorably, and I 
think it probable some useful hints might be found in the bill and re- 
