THE CULTIVATOR. 
53 
volves the privilege of temperate reply. With this I think I shall close, and 
leave this subject to those who like controversy better than myself. 
Note —We regret this determination of our correspondent., and would request 
a continuation of his favors on this or other matters of rural import.— Cond. 
A HINT TO FARMERS—GREAT VALUE OF APPLES. 
J. Duel, —In the fall of 1835, I gathered about 150 bushels of good sound ap¬ 
ples, of different kinds, and put them into my cellar, for the purpose of feeding 
them out to my stock of cattle and pigs, to see what effect they would have. 
When hard weather commenced, I had two cows that gave milk; I put them 
into a stable, and commenced feeding the two cows with a half a bushel of ap¬ 
ples to each cow per day. I charged the boy that milked them, to see if the 
cows increased of their milk, and the third day the boy says that the cows gave 
almost double the quantity that they did before I fed them the apples; and the 
young woman that had the charge of the milk, says that the butter that was 
made from the milk of those cows at the time of feeding them apples, was of 
a fine flavor, and a fine yellow color. 
I likewise commenced feeding them to my pigs; I fed about one bushel a 
day to thirteen pigs, with a small portion of corn, and I now defy the state to 
bring thirteen as good pigs as mine, that has had no better keeping. 
I had gathered about 250 bushels of good sound apples, and put them into 
a good bin in my carriage house, with the intent of making them into cider; 
but before I got ready to make them into cider, the cold weather came on, and 
all my apples froze. I immediately covered them with blankets, and they re¬ 
mained in that situation till the thaw, in the latter part of December; I then 
commenced feeding them to my stock of cattle, which consisted of twenty- 
two head and two colts; I fed them about ten bushels per day; I soon found 
that my cattle would not eat half the quantity of hay that they did before I 
commenced feeding them apples, and when the apples were gone, I could see 
that my cattle had gained in flesh, and looked better. I think that my apples 
that I have fed out to my stock of cattle this winter, has been worth to me 
more than though I had made them into cider and sold it for one dollar per 
barrel. This from yours, &c. 
Canaan, Feb. 16, 1836. ELEAZER CADY. 
Note. —A gentleman, of Montgomery, informs us that he has derived like 
benefits from storing his apples, and feeding them in winter, to his stock; and 
that a horse which had for a long time been afflicted with the heaves , and to 
cure which, every previous prescription had failed, has been restored to entire 
health by this apple diet.— Cond. 
TO PRESERVE FENCE POST3—CORN CROP—CORN CRIB—OATS—APPLES 
FOR HOG FEED, &c. 
Mr. Buel —I offer a few remarks for the Cultivator, should you deem them worthy of 
publication. My choice is rather to learn by the wisdom and experience of others, than 
to assume the capacity of a teacher : if, however, it may be in my power to communicate 
a serviceable hint or two to my brethren of the plough, it will be no less a pleasure than a 
duty to impart it- It must be evident to every farmer, that in order to the successful til¬ 
lage of his lands, good fences are indispensable. The increasing scarcity of fencing 
timber is is a powerful reason for using measures to extend its durability. 1 will here state 
my usual practice in setting fence posts, for the last twelve years—which is, to dig the 
holes two feet or deeper, and fill with cobble stones, taking care to drive them with an iron 
bar, and placing a heavy 6tone at the surface, each side of the post—thus preserving it 
from contact with the earth at a point where the rotting process usually begins. I have 
set several hundred in this manner, and have good reason to believe their durability will 
thereby be much prolonged. In 1823, a piece of fence was set with beech posts and filled 
round with earth. In 1824, the line was extended, the filling up this year being with stone. 
In about seven years, it became necessary to rebuild the first portion ; most of the remain¬ 
der is now standing. I would not recommend beech for posts, but state this fact merely to 
show the result of different modes of filling up. 
The last season was generally unfavorable to the growth of corn My planting ground 
was a piece of wheat stubble, the soil in general gravelly, containing about four acres, 
was manured with twelve loads of various kinds, chiefly coarse, to the acre, before plough¬ 
ing; then well turned under and harrowed. About the 20th of May, the ground was mark¬ 
ed out for planting, by a sort of rake, with four teeth, making the rows three feet apart 
I have sometimes planted closer, but cannot recommend it from my own experience. The 
seed was soaked, tarred and rolled in plaster. The ground being very dry, the tar rather 
obstructed vegetation, and caused the grain to come up quite unevenly. The crows took 
a few hills, though [ presume the flavor of tar was not very agreeable to Ihem. 1 hoed 
twice, and received as a compensation for my labor, about 200 bushels of corn, chiefly 
sound. Having prepared land for planting in several different modes, I am inclined to 
adopt that of a single ploughing, with the manure previously spread, as preferable. 
Permit me here to describe a sort of corn crib, which I have used for several years, as 
combining convenience, econemy and security; and where every farmer can save at least 
a portion of his crop. Erect two poles of sufficient size, near the end of the barn-floor, 
opposite the double door, extending to the joists above, where they should be fastened. 
Then place two pieces of timber, three or four feet in length, from the poles to the girt 
over the back door; throw on loosely, a covering of plank or slabs, with a nhrrow board 
in front, when commence filling, a scoop being very convenient for that purpose Corn 
secured in this way, has usually, if not always, seasoned better than when spread on a 
floor. A crib of this description will hold from 150 to 200 bushels of ears, with little or no 
inconvenience to the ordinary use of the barn 
With regard to the culture of oats, it has been my practice for some years, to seed with 
three bushels to the acre. Some of my neighbors differ with me in this, and prefer a less 
quantity. My reason for adhering to it is this—the crop is almost invariably ten or fifteen 
bushels greater per acre, than it was when in the habit of seeding with two or two and a 
half bushels. I will here correct a small error in a former note, as the threshing was not 
then completed. Instead cf60 bushels per acre, 1 73-100 acres yielded 113 bushels, or 115 
by weight. I hope yet to reach the standard in the Cultivator for January. 
During the past season, I made considerable use of apples in fattening swine. This I 
consider good econemy. My store hogs have been wintered thu3 far chiefly on sweet ap¬ 
ples, 50 bushelshaving been stored in the cellar for that purpose. In estimating the value 
of apples for hogs, however, it should be borne in mind, that pork made in this way is not 
of equal value to grain fattened ; but as that is an expensive business, it is the farmer’s 
duty to make the most of those perishable materials, that more or less abound during the 
autumnal season, and thus prevent their entire loss. 
Very respectfully yours, G BUTLER. 
Clinton , Oneida co. N. Y. February 25, 1836. 
A housewife sends the following method of making Indian cakes, for publication in 
the Cultivator:—To one pint of milk, add a tea*cup full of cream, one egg, two table 
spoonsful of molasses, a tea-cup full of flour, a tea spoon full of saleiatus, and a quart of 
Indian meal, with salt sufficient to season. Mix well, and make into balls about the size 
ot a goose-egg, drop them into hot lard, and fry 15 or 20 minutes. 
CRITICISM—VALUE OF THE RUTA BAGA. 
J. Buel, Esq.—Dear Sir —I observed in your February number, 2d vol page 182 a 
communication from Pittsford, Monroe co. Jan. 9th, 1836, representing an account of agri¬ 
cultural labors tins season, so far as they are connected with the cultivation of Indian corn 
the carrot and ruta baga crops. It is thus, through the medium of so valuable a publica¬ 
tion as the Cultivator, we receive information from the industrious and scientific cultiva¬ 
tors, to the general benefit of the agriculturist. In communicating the success which at¬ 
tended your correspondent’s experiments, in the produce of corn, the carrot, and ruta 
baga turnip, reflects the highest credit, and serves to stimulate the young and aspirin*- ag. 
riculturist In observing my attention particularly solicited to the account of the°ruta 
baga crop, and having devoted many years and great expense in the cultivation of ruta 
baga, in England and America, on the level as well as four furrow system, which must de¬ 
pend upon the nature and depth of the staple and knowledge of th e fertile qualities of the 
soil, so cultivated, for that vegetable, I feel it my duty, (in which 1 am involved,) for the 
benefit ot aspiring cultivators of the ruta baga, to state my impression, that there has been 
an unintentional mistake as to the weight of the turnips, and if so, will lessen the value 
of the crop materially. * * * * 1 
The motive of this communication is, that I am fearful some agriculturists who may be 
disposed to cultivate the ruta baga, and not having experienced its cultivation, may feel 
themselves disappointed with their produce and solidtiy, when compared with the state¬ 
ment of your correspondent, and discontinue the cultivation of one of the most profitable 
valuable and useful roots, that a farmer can cultivate for his stock—which will, with pro¬ 
per management in feeding them away, continue the growth of young stock through win¬ 
ter, with all the glossy appearance of coat, and advantages of summer, promoting symme¬ 
try, size and qualifications fot the use of the dairy or labor—providing them with a com¬ 
fortable dry shed, and allowing plenty of straw for bedding From the produce of one acre 
cultivated by E. Holbrook, Esq. we have supported 16 head of young stock, with hay at 
intervals during the day, to this period, and have a sufficient quantity to feed them this se¬ 
vere winter, until they are turned out into rough land. I might write much upon this sub¬ 
ject, which would be useful to young and inexperienced cultivators of the ruta baga and 
the management of young stock ; but I am fearful its length would preclude its admission 
in your valuable paper. I am very respectfully yours, 
Hyde-Park, March 10, 1836. THUS. MIDFORD. 
GRAIN WORM—CHINCK BUG—DUTTON CORN. 
Goochland County, Va. January 9, 1836. 
Dear Sir —What is it you call the “Wheat Worm'!" Is it a catterpillar? Does it 
prey first upon the blades, and then upon the chaff of the green heads—or does it eat 
up the green grain irt its forming state? - I ask these questions merely to state a fact 
that has twice occurred here, (and pretty extensively,) in my recollection About the 
time the crops of wheat were generally out of the hoot, (the first time I think was 
1789, the next 1807, and not since,) hosts of caterpillars made their appearance in 
wheat fields, commencing usually at the manured spots, and extending generally 
through the wheat, and destroying, first every green blade, and then falling upon the 
shuck of the head, if green— otherwise, moving off, (always in one direction,) by mil¬ 
lions, to the next green spot. These insects were one inch and a half or quarter long, 
striped and hairy. To the astonishment of the owners, the wheat at harvest was found 
to be rather beriefilted than injured, where the blade only had been eaten off. Where 
the head of the wheat continued green and ripened very slowly, the wheat was frequent¬ 
ly entirely destroyed. I have seen these worms destroyed, by cutting ditches between 
fields. 1 have seen ditches from three to four inches deep with the worms, destroyed 
by spreading on and burning them with straw and leaves. Now I should be glad to 
know if your wheat worm resembles the above? 
The chinck bug is a much more formidable enemy with us than the wheat worm, or 
even the Hessian fly. They (the chinck bugs,) attack both corn apd wheat crops— 
the latter in May, the former generally in the month of June. They continue to in¬ 
jure the wheat, by extracting the sap as long as there is a particle of it in the stalk. 
The consequence is, where they are numerous, the grain, when harvested, is nearly 
worthless and the straw vastly injured. By the time the wheat is cut, the bugs (then 
flies,) take wing, and immediately spread over the neighboring corn fields, concealing 
themselves under the blade slips, under the roots, Ac. where they deposite millions 
of eggs, which are hatched in eight or ten days, and continue through rapidly suc¬ 
ceeding generations, to prey upon the sap as long as any thing green remains upon 
the stalk—finally taking shelter for the winter, under the bark of stumps and logs, 
under large clods, Ac. to be ready for the work of destruction the next season. When 
first hatched, they are very small and as red as cochineal. They grow veiy rapidly 
and in a week attain half the size of a bed-hug—in a week more, they acquire witivs 
fly and spread themselves over the field, depositing their eggs generally. They are’ 
in tire last state, about twice the size «f a flea, have white wings, and their bodies be¬ 
ing dark, have a speckled appearance. I have been thus minute in describin'* these 
insects, because I observe, from the Farmer and Gardner, they have never been seen 
in Maryland, and suppose they are unknown with you. They resemble the ked-bug 
in nothing but their abominable scent when crushed. I shonld have stated, that the 
injury to the corn crop is never very great, except in very dry seasons. I have said, 
that the chinck bug is a much more injurious enemy than tlie’Hessian fly. I may say 
that I do not consider the latter te have been, upon the whole, a very pernicious thing 
They certainly do but little injury where the land is capable of producing as much as 
fifteen bushels of wheat to the acre, and farmers having generally made this discove¬ 
ry, have been induced to improve their wheat lands, and have thus more than coun¬ 
terbalanced the injury. Our system of improvement, however, is, I apprehend, about 
to be greatly retarded by the general cultivation of tobacco, in consequence of the 
high price of that article It is now selling from 10 to 15, and even as high as 20 dol- 
lars the hundred weight. This will require all the manure that can be raised, and 
other crops must consequently be neglected. The high price of tobacco and cotton, 
and the general movement about internal improvements—such as the James River 
canal, now under contract, from Lynchburgh to near Richmond, upon Judge Wright’s 
plan ; the Fredericksburgh and Potomac rail-road, under contract from Richmond to 
the Potomac, and others in contemplation by petitionsnowbefore the legislature, have 
had a tendency greatly to increase the rates of slave labor, and have raised the price 
of that species of property, within the last two years, from four to eight and nine hun¬ 
dred, and often as high a« $1,000, for male slaves, from 20 to 30 years of age. Indeed, 
I think, among other pernicious effects to that unhappy race, northern fanaticism has 
tended to augment their value. I believe 1,000 mate slaves could now be hired on the 
rail-roads and canals, at $100 or more for each, which is nearly 100 per cent above the 
ordinary rates. 
I began this desultory scrawl merely to ask you to request Mr. Bement to send me 
* It eats the grain in its green state. A small fly punctures the inner sheath of the 
young kernel, in the same way that the young pea is punctured, and deposites its eggs, 
which soon produce small yellow worms, sometimes a dozen in one sheath, which do 
not appear to the naked eye to have motion. They do not emigrate, but invariably 
consume the kernel to which they are attached. In some heads the grain of the ear 
is but paitially destroyed, in others wholly.— Cond. 
