THE CULTIVATOR. 
199 
markably well on them, and when cutup with a machine (which we 
have) and mixed with cut hay or straw, stock may be kept with one 
half the expense, that they usually are. I am yours respectfully. 
_ A WOOL GROWER. 
VEGETABLE CUTTER. 
Mr. Btjel,—M uch attention has been paid for the last few years 
to the culture of roots for feeding stock, &c. At first some difficul¬ 
ty occurred in sowing the seed, until the drill was introduced, which 
diminished the labor to a pastime. 
Where a large stock was fed, much time and labor were spent in 
slicing or cutting the roots suitable for feeding. At first the spade, 
snick and chopper were brought into requisition, but did not operate 
satisfactorily. Other machines have since been tried, such as the 
grater and horizontal knives, operated by a lever; but “ Melishe’s 
Vegetable Cutter” bids fair to eclipse the whole. 
It consists of a box seventeen and a half inches long, twenty-two 
inches wide, and about lour feet high, which answers for a hopper 
above and a receiver below. Near the centre of the box is a frame 
bearing a circular plate, or wheel, of cast iron, mounted on a hori¬ 
zontal axis, to which the crank is attached. This wheel, car¬ 
ries three knives or cutters, set parallel to the face of the plate, and 
radiating from the centre. The vegetables press against the knives, 
and their own weight is sufficient to keep them within the stroke 
of the knife. 
The following statement is from a gentleman who has had one of 
these machines in operation for sometime, and recommends them 
highly. I have seen one in operation—it sliced potatoes with great 
ease and rapidity. 
“ I have had^ne of ‘ Melishe’s Potato Cutters ’ in use, and con¬ 
sider it one of the most useful machines ever invented, and think no 
farmer, who values the lives of his cattle, or his own interest, should 
be without one. They will cut more potatoes into thin slices in one 
hour, than a man could cut with a knife in two days. I find that 
potatoes cut in this machine will boil soft in about half the time of 
whole ones, thereby making a great saving of fuel and labor. The 
machine cuts potatoes, turnips, cabbage stumps, (squashes and 
pumpkins when cut into quarters with a spade,) with the same fa¬ 
cility and ease that it does potatoes.” 
The above notice is given to answer the many queries made— 
“ which is the best implement or machine used for cutting or slicing 
vegetables for feeding stock, &c. ? and where can they be had and 
at what price?” 
A few of these machines are now for sale at the Agricultural 
Warehouse of Wm. Thorburn, No.-317 North Market-street, Alba¬ 
ny—price $10. C. N. BEMENT. 
INQUIRY RESPECTING GRASSES. 
Jesse Buel, —Please state in the Cultivator the kinds and quan¬ 
tities of grass seeds our most experienced and best informed practi¬ 
cal graziers would prefer to sow on a meadow fallow, previously pre¬ 
pared, and designed for a permanent grass sward, for grazing and 
mowing.* 
I have been in the practice of sowing my meadows early in Sep¬ 
tember, with timothy, and a little herd grass,f and red clover. And 
while, as I j think, timothy will give way to spear or green grass (as 
we call it) and white clover, much more easily than herd grass, which 
will retain its hold firmer and longer ; yet I generally find when the 
timothy takes well at first, it overpowers and smothers the herd 
grass. Which latter kind I am disposed to think, from experience 
and observation, is better, both as a grass and as a hay, for fatting 
cattle and feeding cows, than timothy is ; although I am aware that 
timothy is by many preferred for horses, especially in our large ci¬ 
ties—yet, still some have doubts as to its superiority or even its 
equality for that use either. Under these views, I have sown my 
meadow fallow this last fall with herd grass and a little timothy and 
red clover. 
I think the quality of the soil, and its inclination to produce spear 
* We invite an answer from our graziers. The truth is, we believe this 
subject has not received sufficient attention among us. There is little danger 
of over stocking, or of mixing too many kinds, except on account of the cost 
of the seed, because the soil will only carry a certain quantity of plants; and 
if there is seed enough, and the ground is in good condition, there will none of 
it naked. We sow 10 los. cl clover and 6 or 8 quarts of timothy to the acre.— 
Cond. 
\ Timothy (phleum prateuse) is the herds grass, and herds grass (agrostis 
vulgaris, of Eaton, and A. slrictaot Mich.) is the red top of the eastern states. 
or green grass, and white clover, (a mixture of which I consider 
preferable for grazing, to any other kind, and if I am wrong I wish 
to be corrected) ought in a degree to be consulted, and perhaps the 
climate and situation. 
I observed in No. 4 of the current vol. of the Cultivator, a table 
of grasses experimented upon at Woburn. Yet the soils upon which 
the diff rent kinds grew, appear to have been very different, and in 
very different states of fertility. I should also think that the same 
kind of grass, growing on the same soil as in the previous year, 
would likely be not only different in quantity, but also in its per cent 
of nutritive matter, owing to various causes in the season. And 
while one season or one country might be favorable to an increased 
burthen or quality of one kind of grass, the same season or the same 
country would not so well serve another kind of grass; which if 
true, go to show that notwithstanding it is a very interesting table, 
and contains much useful information, yet we must not rely loo much 
upon it. The well informed and scientific agriculturist, that is real¬ 
ly and thoroughly a practical one too, can otten ascertain important 
results, when ethers cannot. Jan. 7, 1837. N. 
FARM ACCOUNTS—PRODUCTS OF A FARM. 
J. Buel, Esq.,— Sir, —Having been a constant reader of your va¬ 
luable paper from its commencement, and having been amused and 
instructed from the perusal of it, especially from original communi¬ 
cations upon practical farming, statements of products, &.c.; and 
having heard a gentleman in an agricultural address in this county 
some years since say, “ It is time that farmers leave off guessing, 
and attend to their business systematically, that they may know 
their income,” &c.—I have once or twice since began to keep an 
account of the products of my farm, but have failed to go through 
the year. This year I began early in the season, and have kept an 
account of the principal articles produced, and their estimate at 
about the common market price in this vicinity. But as I am a 
Yankee, I must be allowed the privilege of “guessing” at a part. 
The reason of my communicating to you the result of my labors, is 
not that I expect that I have outdone every body else, for I believe 
that many farmers in this region have produced more from the same 
number of acres than I have, as some of my crops were very poor ; my 
orchard and a few thousand silkworms aimost wholly failed. But I 
have thought that the publication of the products of farms might in¬ 
fluence some of those who occupy land and farm by guess, to use 
more exertion; and may probably induce some young men to turn 
their minds from the fancied gains of speculation to the slow, but 
substantial, income of good farming. And in this way, and no other, 
can we compare our own advantages of location with our brethren 
at a distance. And since there is such an itching desire for remov¬ 
al and the praries of the west, it would be well for many of them 
to know that they are well situated. 
My farm contains about 150 acres of land. I improve about 100 
acres, the remainder is in wood ; some of the land has been cleared 
of wood thirty-five years, and farmed wffhout much system for a 
number of years; now some of it is in tolerable cultivation, though 
very little in a high state. I shall now proceed to give the items of 
produce and their estimate. I am thus particular, that every rea¬ 
der may see for himself, and imitate the example if he thinks proper, 
and commuicate the same for the benefit of others. 
1,088 lb. of maple sugar, at $10 perewt. is. $108 80 
Mulberry trees sold for cash,. 143 75 
35 lb. of wool, at fifty cents per lb. 17 50 
4 veal calves, at $2.50 per head,. 10 00 
1 killed at four days old, skin sold for. 50 
5 lambs raised, at $2 per head,. 10 00 
5 calves raised, at $4 per head,. 20 00 
6 pigs sold young, at $1 per head,. 6 00 
8 pigs raised, at $3 per head,. 24 00 
50 tons of hay, at $7 per ton,. 350 00 
1 ton of hemp,. 11 72 
16 bushels of peas, at $1 per bush.,. 16 00 
59 bushels of rye, at $1 per bush.,. 59 00 
685 bushels of barley, at 62j cents per bush.,. 42 81 
70 bushels of wheat, at $1.50 per bush.. 105 00 
Flax in the bundle and seed,. 67 66 
80 bushels of apples, at 25 cents per bush.,. 20 00 
1,5354 lb of cheese, at $8 per cwt.,. 122 82 
280 bushels of potatoes, at 25 cents per bush.,. 70 00 
200 bush, of ruta baga turnips, at 25 cents per bush.,.. 50 00 
