102 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
you such? Also—Lake Superior Indian corn—which stools out like 
wheat, each branch bearing a small, short ear, of a redish yellow color. 
The stalks low, may be planted very close, and requires the shortest sea¬ 
son of any other corn I ever saw to come to perfection. Perhaps it is not 
new to you. 
Do you know what is meant by “ Burr Oak?” The shell of the acorn 
being fringed or burred, and highly prized as feed for hogs. 
Yours, &c. SOLON ROBINSON. 
[Mr. Robinson will do us a particular service by sending us seed of the 
potatoes and corn, as well as of the prairie flowers. The bur, or overanlc 
oak, grows in most of the western states—is a beautiful tree, and is 
distinguished as having the longest leaves, often 15 inches, and largest 
acorns, of any species of the oak.— Cond ] 
BARNS AND OUT-BUILDINGS. 
Weybridge, Vt. June 7, 1837. 
J. Buel, Esq —Dear Sir— I noticed solicitations in the first No. 
of the 4th volume of the Cultivator, for improved plans of Farm Build¬ 
ings, I herein send one of my design. 
Fig. 36. 
^- at. 
_JjL 
II 
explanation of the ground plan. 
No. 1, 1, are two barns 40 feet by 80. 
a, a, great doors, 11 feet wide. 
d’, d, stable doors from 4 to 5 feet. 
e e, stables for cattle, 12| feet wide, 72 feet long, with manger 2 feet 
f’f,' floors, 11 feet wide. [wide, 
p’ p, passages from floor to sheds, marked s, which intersect the two 
1 ’ barns, at each end, 90 feet long and 16 wide. 
b, b, bays for hay and grain 14£ feet wide. 
No 2, Horse barn and wagon house, 25 feet by 40. 
d, d, doors, 9 feet wide, m, m, m, mangers, 3 feet, wide. 
a ’ passage from waggon house to stable, 4 feet wide, 
s’ stable, 25 by 22, wi'h a door at e. 
No. 3, Swill house and piggery, 25 feet by 40. 
d door, 4 feet wide, o, a cauldron set-in brick, 
b! bin for storage of potatoes, &c. . 
u passage, 5 feet wide, with, a feeding (rough on each side 20 ft. long. 
H H, 8 pens, sufficient for 32 hogs. [at the trough, 
e e studs erected to prevent the interference of one hog with another 
No ’4 ’ Corn house, granary, and tool house or work-shop, with a wool 
’room in the loft, in front 25 feet by 26. 
c, threshing floor, 14 feet by 25, with a crib on 3 sides, 1 , 1 , l. 
til d, doors, 4 feet wide. . 
g a granary, 25 feet by 13, with bins on two sides, b, b. 
t,’ tool house, work shop, &c. with a stairway leading to the wool-room, 
and trap door for sacking wool. . T „ , 
I would recommend a cellar under the front half building No. 3, for 
the storage of potatoes and otheY roots. The loft is convenient for the 
storage of food and bedding, &c. for hogs. ... 6 . , 
Loft No 2 for hay—40 feet space from No. 2 to No. 1, with 3 girts 
framed inin’ front of the building, matched boards reaching to the eaves 
of each, and if necessary for more sheds; all that will be required to com¬ 
plete them, is to lay roofs between each building. No. 2, 3, 4, 30 feet 
apart I would recommend matched boards for the outside covering ot 
each building. Eve troughs attached to the barn to convey the water 
from the vard Y, which is concave or excavated 3 feet more in the cen¬ 
tre than at sides. The buildings all standing 2 feet from the ground with 
posts 16 feet. Purline plates, and a window in the gable end of each barn, 
and over the great doors. , , , 
The above description is rather a complicated concern, made up and 
described in too great a hurry. If it should appear in print, (which is 
not very likely,) it can be arranged in better order, &c. In the lront 
view, the windows are too large in proportion. 
You don’t get many communications from Vermont, neither can much 
bo expected, as we are very much in the dark as to the improved modes 
of farming. You will know how to excuse us, for I understand your na¬ 
tive place is Vermont. I remain, dear sir, yours inhale 
EXTRACTS. 
SPEECH OF JOHN JAY VIELE, 
Delivered in the State Agricultural Convention, Feb. 3, 1837. 
Mr. President— In looking about me, I see assembled a numerous 
collection of gentlemen, from all parts of this great and wide extended 
state, comprising much talent, much moral worth, and, if I may judge 
from the distance they have travelled at this inclement season, I should 
say they possessed an eminent degree of disinterested patriotism and phi¬ 
lanthropy. What, I ask, has called together this numerous convention of 
agriculturists ? Is it to promote the objects and interests of party ? Most 
assuredly not. Agriculture is of no party. It comprises the whole of all 
parties. Five-sixths of our whole population are engaged in its active 
pursuits; and the other one-sixth is as dependent upon it, as the branch is 
upon the roots for nutriment and support. Have they any sinister or 
personally ambitious views in coming up hither? I trust and verily be¬ 
lieve not. The character of this convention, and the reputation of those 
who compose it, utterly refutes any such imputation—entirely disperses 
all suspicion. And beside, the cause itself, and proposed objects, is not 
susceptible of any such perversions. What then, Mr. President, has as¬ 
sembled this truly respectable convention? The‘question may be au- 
swered almost in a word. It is to do the greatest good to the greatest 
number. It is to devise the best plan to improve the agriculture of the 
state, and in so doing, ameliorate the condition and promote the happi¬ 
ness and prosperity of the whole human family. Truly, then, it is a 
laudable and philanthropic errand upon which we have come. Truly, it 
is a cause worthy the attention and consideration of all, from the hum- 
blestlaborer that treads the “ vine clad hill,” to him who sways the sceptre 
of government, and directs the energies of a great and free people. It is a 
fact that will be conceeded by all, that agriculture and the labors of those 
engaged in it, is the main source and foundation of individual and national 
wealth. That it is the basis and substratum of all other interests and 
avocations. On it, all depend—to it, all look for nutriment and support. 
That in proportion as this interest flourishes, does every other prosper, 
and when it languishes all others decline. Embracing, as it does, so 
great a proportion of the community, it gives an impress to the character 
of our country and all her ins Buttons. The farmers of the state, decide 
by their numbers, our elections—they control indirectly the government. 
How important, then, that they should be educated, and fitted for the 
discharge of those duties with regard to their country, in which they are 
most deeply interested, that they are now obliged for the want of capa¬ 
city in themselves, to confide to others. How important that they should 
be qualified to direct and manage their own political concerns, rather than 
be nosed and led about as mere automatons at the beck of some profes¬ 
sional demagogue. How important for the stability and well-being of 
our republican institutions, that the standard of education and knowledge 
should be elevated among so numerous and useful a body of citizens as 
the farmers of our land They require knowledge in order to enable them 
to discharge their du'ies to themselves and families, in the successful cul¬ 
tivation of the earth. Knowledge is essential to enable them to make 
judicious selections of rulers and to qualify themselves for the discharge 
of the multifarious civil duties that necessarily devolve upon them. 
With this view of the subject, the question naturally arises—how shall 
the evils of which we complain, be remedied? How shall so desirable an 
end be attained ? I answer, firstly, by the establishment of schools, libe¬ 
rally endowed by the state; where the sons of farmers can be educated 
in a manner suitable to their occupation. It was wisely said by an an¬ 
cient Grecian philosoper, that boys should be first taught that which they 
intend to practice when they become men. So the sons of farmersshould 
be'sent to a school where agriculture is taught as a science,—and where 
the advancement and perfection of that science is the primary object, and 
where a practical application of all the sciences shall be made to the use¬ 
ful purposes of life,—where the mind shall direct the hand, and where the 
beauties, the properties and the treasures of the earth shall be developed 
to the youthful mind; in such a manner, that it shall not forever thereaf¬ 
ter be lost, but shall be carried with him into the world, into the field and 
the workshop; shedding i's light and diffusing its blessing upon all within 
the reach of its influence. 
But shall I be told, and do I have it urged as an objection to the esta¬ 
blishment and endowment of such institutions, that we have already aca¬ 
demies and colleges endowed upon a liberal scale, where all that desire it 
may receive an education? I grant it—and to the honor of our state be 
it said. But this fact, instead of being a reason against, is a strong and 
forcible argument in favor of, the proposed plan. 
For I maintain that these institutions, although useful in their sphere, 
do little or nothing to promote the great and noble object which we have 
in view. The favors and bounties of government should be dispensed 
with an equal and impartial hand. And if I show that the literary insti¬ 
tutions of the state, that have been endowed by appropriations from the 
public treasury, to which the farmers are the main contributors, are, from 
their nature and organization, calculated to benefit and build up a parti¬ 
cular class in community; and that class not, perhaps, the most useful 
