179 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
TIDE MILLS. 
A correspondent, who dates Talbott county, Md. asks for information 
on this subject, viz: 
A description of the location, the rise or fall of tide, the quantity or 
number of acres enclosed, or space occupied by the pond or creek, the 
strength of current, kind and expense of improvements, profits of estab¬ 
lishment, &c. &c.—in fine, a full description in relation of this kind ol 
mill. 
As the information asked for is not within our reach, we shall be very 
much obliged to any gentleman competent to give it, to furnish it for the 
Cultivator. 
INCOMBUSTIBLE WASH, AND STUCCO WHITE WASH. 
The two following recipes are valuable, if they will answer the purpo¬ 
ses described, of which there seems to us to exist a strong probability: 
,e The basis of both is lime, which must be first slaked with hot water, 
in a little tub or piggin; and covered to keep,in the steam; it then should 
be past in a fluid form, through a fine sieve, to obtain the fiourof the lime. 
It must be put on with a painter’s brush—two coats are for the outside 
work. 
“ First .—To make a fluid for the roof and other parts of wooden build¬ 
ings, to render them incombustible, and coating for brick, tile, and stone 
work, and rough cast, to render impervious to the water, and give them a 
durable and nice appearance. The proportions in each receipt are five 
gallons. Slack your lime as before directed, say six quarts, into which 
put one quart of clean rock salt, for each gallon of water, to be entirely 
dissolved by boiling, and skimmed clean, then add to the five gallons one 
pound of allum, one-half pound of coperas, three-foui'ths of a pound of pot¬ 
ash—the last to be gradually added: four quarts of fine sand, or hard wood 
ashes, must also be added, and coloring matter may be added in such a 
quantity as to give it the requisite shade. It will look better.than paint, 
and be as lasting as slate. It must be put on hot. Old shingles must be 
first cleaned with a stiff broom, when this may be applied. It will stop 
the smajl leaks, prevent moss from growing, render them incombustible, 
and last many years. 
“ Second .—To make a-brilliant Stucco White Wash, for buildings, in¬ 
side and out. Take clean hiirips of well burnt lime: slack the same as 
before, add one-fourth of a pound of whiting or burnt allum pulverised, 
one pound of loaf or other sugar, three points of rice flour, made into a 
very thin and well boiled paste, starch or jelly, and one pound clean glue, 
dissolved in the manner cabinet makers do. This may be applied cold 
within doors, and warm outside. It will be more brilliant than plaster of 
paris, and will retain its brilliancy for many years, say 50 or a 100. It is 
superior: nothing equal. The east end of the president’s house at Wash¬ 
ington is washed with it.” 
The anniversary address will be delivered before the New-York State 
Agricultural Society, on the first Thursday in February, by the president, 
Dr. J. P. Beekman. 
We acknowledge the receipt of seeds of native plants from S. M. Ste¬ 
venson, or rather from Mrs. Stevenson, of North Lake, Mich, for which the 
lady well please Accept our thanks. Among them are seeds of three spe¬ 
cies of the wild pea, similar to the vetch of Britain. These may become 
an acquisition to our agriculture, to be cut as green food; and as they are 
indigenous, must be better suited to our climate than varieties from Eu¬ 
rope. ___ 
flCj= The Conductor’s brand has been used, without his knowledge, up¬ 
on barrels of Italian Spring Wheat, sent to the south. Although we have 
full confidence in the honest intentions and integrity of those who have 
thus used our name, it is proper to say, that we have had no interest, and 
do not assume any responsibility, in the transactions in this article. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
RUTA BAGA. 
The culture of roots, and more particularly the Ruta Baga, for stock, 
appears to be gaining ground yearly, and their value better understood. 
The prejudice against book-farming, is giving away, and the advanta¬ 
ges of agricultural papers are better appreciated. The directions laid 
down for the culture and management of the Ruta Baga, in the 4th No. 
1 st vol. page 51, of the Cultivator, has induced many farmers to try the 
“ experiment ” by putting in a fourth of an acre, and some have muster¬ 
ed courage enough to put in from one to two acres. 
When the directions have been followed closely, success has generally 
attended them. A partial failure of the first crop should not deter them 
from a second attempt. 
The first crop I undertook to cultivate (iS34) was a failure, for on two 
acres I only gathered 315 bushels. 
Having then but little experience in farming, and not sufficient confidence 
in my own abilities, to undertake their culture, I employed an English¬ 
man, who said he understood the process of sowing the seed, and after 
culture. He pretended there was great art in putting in the seeds, and 
from his movements I began to suspect there was, for it took him over 
two days to sow the seed. 
When weeding and thinning time arrived, I employed him again, which 
took him fourteen days. He was employed at the after dressing, and har¬ 
vesting. The produce was as above stated. This, I thought, rather an 
expensive crop; however this failure did not discourage, but rather sti¬ 
mulated me to greater exertions. 
The following season I was determined to try and see what I could do, 
having profited by the experience of the former year. I sold my English 
Drill and had one made, of my own construction, of which my present 
Drill is an improvement. The ground was in the same field, and adjoin¬ 
ing where I had them the previous year—it was well manured and pre¬ 
pared, and on the,22dof June,. I drilled in the seed, which occupied three 
hours. 
When in the third Ieaf they were carefully weeded and thinned out, and 
the plants left from eight to twelve inches in the rows. The rows three 
feet asunder. The cultivator was run through them at intervals several 
times, and dressed with the hoe twice after. From this piece I took off 
over 1600 -bushels—many of them weighing 20 lbs. and one weighing, 
with the tops on 26£ lbs. and without the tops 24.J lbs. I mention this as 
ah offset to a communication in the 48th No. of the Genesee Farmer, over 
the signature of “ Fred. Suter,” of Ancaster, Upper Canada. His won¬ 
derful turnep weighed 19| lbs. 
The same season I had seven acres in Ruta Baga’s, on the farm I now 
occupy, which averaged 500 bushels to the acre. They were not as large, 
but of superior quality. Since then I have had no difficulty in managing 
the crop, although I have never been enabled to grow them so large, nor 
do I deem great size of much advantage. 
The Ruta Baga delights in a sandy or gravelly soil. In a stiff clay or 
wet soil', they will-not flourish. Of the truth of this, I had ample proof 
the past season. A part of the field I cultivated, was rather tenacious, 
and stiff, although it received the same quantity of manure as the other 
part, which was a loam—the roots on the clay soil were very small and 
the plants had a sickly appearance during the season. From a little over 
2| acres I took 1,400 bushels. 
On a part of the field I tried, as an experiment, bone dust, sown broad 
cast, and harrowed in at the time of drilling in the seed, at the rate of 25 
bushels to the acre. The result proved favorable. I also tried ashes, but 
without success. The plants were sickly and the roots very small. 
I Urged some of my neighbors to try the cultivation of the Ruta Baga, 
and as an inducement, offered to loan them my drill, to sow the seed. 
For information of their culture, I referred them to the Cultivator. None 
were more' successful than my neighbors, the Messrs. Bullocks. On a 
little over four acres they took off more than 4,000 bushels, and when pitted 
the mounds were as thick as hay-cocks in some meadows. 
A correspondent, in New-Jersey, writes me that having sold his farm, 
his Ruta Baga patch, consisting of two acres, was sold the 5th of Oct. last 
at auction, for $176! Allowing nine cents per bushel, which is low for 
them, there must have been nearly 2000 bushels. This would afford him a 
good profit, for they can be grown at an expense of four cents per bushel. 
I feed them to my cattle, sheep, horses and swine, who become re¬ 
markably fond of them. For young cattle and sheep I consider them in¬ 
valuable. 
At Hosick, on the farm of H. D. Grove, esq. I saw several patches of 
good size, and promised an abundant crop. Mr. G. thinks them of great 
value for his sheep. 
In a short tour to the north and east last fall, of some thirty miles, I 
was much gratified to observe a commencement of their culture, however 
limited. No class of men are more cautious, or more suspicious of inno¬ 
vations or new improvements in their art, or profession, than the regular 
bred farmers. And it is proper that it is so. One great cause of the fai¬ 
lure of the ciops, with new beginners, is, they are not particular to thin 
them out sufficiently; the consequence is, they run up to tops, and the 
bottoms, if any, are small. Another cause is, the soil is not properly pre¬ 
pared. In many cases, it will require, after having been well ploughed, 
to be stirred with the Cultivator, rolled and harrowed until it becomes 
well pulverized and mellow—the harrow should be used just before the 
seed is drilled in. By this means I find the after culture much diminish¬ 
ed. CALEB N. BEMENT. 
Three Hills Farm, Dec. 1837. 
PROFITS OF FARMING. 
Ithaca, December 10, 1837. 
J. Buel, Esq.—Dear Sir,—In August, 1836, B- Wood, Esq. and my¬ 
self purchased a farm of 100 acres, seventy acres of which was under im¬ 
provement, in the town of Dryden, at what was considered a large price 
for a worn out farm, as that was called. The farm was managed by Mr. 
Wood for our joint benefit. An accurate account was kept of all expen¬ 
ses, as one-half was to be charged to me. The season is now over and we 
have just balanced our accounts, that we might know how we stood in 
our farming speculation; and as the result is satisfactory, I communicate 
it to you as another evidence, that capital may be profitably invested in 
agricultural pursuits. The account is as follows: 
