THE CULTIVATOR. 
not the least valuable resuscitator of exhausted soils; 
it is usefully applicable to every soil, increasing in every 
instance the quantity of the crop. How strange that 
this valuable auxiliary to agriculture, should be disre¬ 
garded and left scattered about the farm-yard to be trod¬ 
den by man and beast, and thus rendered almost useless. 
I send you herewith an extract which, if new to you, 
may be deemed worthy of a place in your useful, and (I 
intend no flattery) truly well conducted paper. 
Yours, &c. ALEXANDER WALSH. 
The Place to Dig a Well. 
Do you wish to dig a well? And do you know the 
best place to dig one? Why, the best place, to be sure, 
is where a well will be most convenient. But nay, friend, 
be not in haste; the very best place is where you will 
get plenty of water. Do you give it up? If so, I will 
proceed to tell what I know about finding the best place. 
There are certain persons who profess the skill ol ascer¬ 
taining where running water may be found under ground: 
and this is the way they proceed:—They cut a crotched 
twig from a living peach tree. The ends of this twig 
they hold in each hand, turning the palms of the hands 
upwards, and holding it sufficiently firm by pressing 
upon it the little finger and the two fingers next it. The 
largest end, or where it was cut from the tree, stands 
erect. Thus prepared, they walk along near the place 
where it is desirable the well should stand, and if they 
pass over any stream of running water, the top of the 
twig indicates it by turning down to the ground. 
Now, reader, lest jmu make up your mind that this 
article was written for a hoax, or that I am myself a 
water witch, I disclaim all personal knowledge of 
the skill whatever, but I have known three persons who 
profess the art, all of them of the most repectable cha¬ 
racter, one a clergyman of superior talents, a classical 
education, and whom no one would ever accuse of in¬ 
tentionally deceiving the credulous. They have given 
abundant testimony that they themselves believed in 
the art. Some experiments have been tried, sufficient to 
satisfy the most incredulous. Once on a certain time, 
one of these men being at a distance from home, and 
where he was unacquainted with the ground, an experi¬ 
ment was tried to see if he could tell where an aqueduct 
run. He was accordingly blindfolded and followed it 
exactly, and would have plunged into the spring at the 
head of it had he not been restrained. Certainly they 
have been uniformly successful in finding water where- 
ever they have been employed, and their services were 
always gratuitous. 
There is, notwithstanding all the testimony that these 
men were sincere in their professions, and did accom¬ 
plish what they attempted, much mystery attending it, 
and I have often been tempted to discard it altogether. 
Why take a twig from a peach tree in preference to one 
of oak or maple? Why turn in one man’s hand and 
not in another? are questions I have never heard an¬ 
swered, or an explanation attempted. The hypothesis 
that they were born under the influence of a particular 
planet, or in a certain phase of the moon, might suffice 
in the by-gone days of blue laws and witch burning in 
old Connecticut, but in this enlightened age, such sup¬ 
positions are hardly admissible. It is no doubt true 
that a close observer may become skilful in tracing cur¬ 
rents of water by the make of the ground, appearance 
of vegetation, &c. but such indications can only be re¬ 
lied on in uncultivated lands. 
I said I knew of three men who professed the art of 
finding water by means of a peach twig: 1 have known 
others, and have heard of many, in whose hands the 
twig would turn down in crossing currents of water. 
Very probably the number is not small. I selected these 
from their respectability. Had an ignorant juggler made 
pretensions to this art, no reliance could be placed upon 
it. These were not ignorant men ; they were not vi¬ 
sionary, but men in whose veracity this community had 
the utmost confidence. In hopes that some of your cor¬ 
respondents can unravel the mystery in which this sub¬ 
ject is involved, or show its fallacy, I have drawn up 
this hasty sketch of a useful art, practiced by intelli¬ 
gent men, and believed in by the most respectable men 
of my acquaintance. Yours, &c. 
J MYRON ADAMS. 
Ontario co. Dec. 10, 1839. 
Clover in the Southern States. 
Messrs. Editors— -When in Orange county, N. Y. a 
youth, I assisted my father, (one of the earliest clover 
cultivators in the state,) to raise clover; and having ex¬ 
perimented with clover here, I concluded there were pe¬ 
culiar difficulties in a hot climate to ultimate success, in 
regard to burning out after a good start. One way to 
obviate this, I found, was that of sowing in the fall or 
last of September. But from a hint I got in the “ Far¬ 
mers’ Register,” about improving wheat culture, by co¬ 
vering it after sowing with pine leaves, (here called 
pine straw,) I think I have discovered an effectual re¬ 
medy for the misfortune of burning out; and a remedy 
too, that in the use of it, for shading the ground, and the 
vegetable matter added thereby, more than pays for the 
trouble of applying it. After the wheat is sown, and 
(it may be after it comes up) in the fall, cover all over 
with pine straw, (other straw would do I presume,) an 
inch or more thick; and the following spring sow clover 
seed, (even in the hull will do, as I have also tried.) I 
have left out lands not covered with the straw, where 
no success—but adjoining, where covered with the 
straw, fine clover—or as good as in northern climes. 
Rohan potatoes, (as well as multicaulis and grape 
vines, which I cultivate on a pretty large scale,) do well 
here. Yield of Rohans, at rates of a bushel for a single 
one planted. More particulars of all, when at leisure. 
Yours, &c. in haste, SIDNEY WELLER. 
Brinklcyville, Halifax county, N. C. Jan’y. 10th, 1840. 
Russian Horses and Equipages. 
The Imperial Empire has long been celebrated for the 
fleetness, elegance, and hardiness of its horses ; and the 
means for rearing them are almost boundless, especially 
in the richer and more southern provinces. Here single 
noblemen possess them by thousands, and their breeding 
is a source of great profit and wealth to the extensive 
landholders. Russia has always been open to importa¬ 
tions from Arabia, Persia, and Turkey; and the best 
crosses on the native stock, were undoubtedly deri¬ 
ved from the east, till the noblemen found to their 
great mortification in 1825, how easily even a second 
rate English racer could'beat the fleetest horses from the 
Cossacks of the Don. This gave a fresh impetus to the 
production of good horse stock, and the Emperor and 
nobility have since annually kept up their importations 
from England, for the purpose of greater improvement, 
with marked success. With the immense plains and 
wide frontier that in case of attack Russia would be 
called upon to defend, a swift and efficient cavalry is of 
paramount consequence to her : the same may be said 
in a measure of our own country ; and though we are far 
superior to this great empire in point of water commu¬ 
nication, still with a view of making us strong, and 
more efficient, even in a civilized view, too much at¬ 
tention cannot be paid to the rearing of a fleet, hardy, 
and enduring race of horses.. 
The manner of treating horses in Russia, is much 
more kind and familiar among the people in general, 
than in other parts of Europe, and, as in Arabia, he is 
rather the petted companion, than the abused drudge ; 
and a fat horse, and a fat wife, are the neplus ultra of 
a Muscovite’s pride. During a residence of eighteen 
months in Russia, I scarce ever saw a horse struck a 
blow—the drivers never carry a whip, unless a short 
braided thong at the end of the reins, that is totally 
powerless for any thing like punishment if it may be call¬ 
ed such; indeed, instead of beating to obtain a great 
performance, he seems rather to depend upon plenty of 
feed, good grooming, and large talk to the sagacious 
animal; and it is quite amusing to the traveler who 
has learned to understand the zvotshiks, or driver’s lin¬ 
go, to hear hoAv he gets on with the equestrian colloquy. 
Taking a rein in either hand, he commences with a gen¬ 
tle pull, and at the same time gives a long drawn and 
peculiar sort of grunt, which the horse seems to receive 
as very encouraging, and starts off at a rapid pace. 
Then begins the discourse, which generally sets out 
with an exordium of his superb shape, his splendid ac¬ 
tion, and the performance that is now expected from so 
celebrated a horse, not only by his master, who he well 
knows, but by the distinguished stranger, that he has 
now for the first time the honor to conduct through the 
great Imperial Empire. To this follows a recapitula¬ 
tion of what he has before so honorably achieved, inter¬ 
larded with various episodes, and then a national song 
in a sonorous and well modulated voice, now spirited 
and cheering, anon plaintive and mild, and all wound 
up by a peroration of ejaculations to the traveler, 
with a half turn of the head, a comical and beseeching 
wink of the eye, and a respectful touch of his cap, to 
assent to the truth of all he may have said and sung. 
This is for the country; in the city, the horse attend¬ 
ants are quite as well known to and familiar with their 
beasts, but more silent,' generally confining their lungs 
to the encouraging grunt, and crying out at the top of 
the imice, pode, pode, get out of the way, to any thing 
likely in the least to obstruct their rapid career. A 
stranger would feel no little alarm, at the sight of four 
mettlesome and apparently uncontrolable horses, sud¬ 
denly pulled up for a call of business or pleasure, from 
the noble occupant of the carriage to which they Avere 
attached, to see the little felloAV of a postillion, Avben he 
knows that the stop is a seasonable time, dismount 
from one of the leaders, and curl himself up on the 
pavement at their feet for a profound nap, while the 
coachman, slacking the reins to the wheel pair, Avould as 
unhesitatingly nod responsively on his box, till aroused 
by the footman to again set out on their swift career; 
again when pausing at some open square, the coach¬ 
man descends, and calling to his spirited coursers, they 
folloAV him all round as quiet and obedient as hounds in 
the leash. 
It is to the cavalry, howevmr, that Ave may look for 
the highest discipline and most, imposing shoAv, especi¬ 
ally to the regiments of about fifteen thousand strong, 
composing part of the imperial guard, generally quar¬ 
tered in and about the city of St. Petersburgh. Here the 
horses move Avith the precision of highly disciplined 
men, and in all their evolutions seem to understand 
their part of the duty quite as Avell as the soldierly ri¬ 
ders. Their appearance also is very imposing and 
warlike, Avith long floAving manes and tails, superb 
mountings and fiery action. Each regiment showed 
but one color, every horse in it being entirely bay, 
black, chestnut, and so on, and as nearly matched other¬ 
wise as possible. The Cossack regiments are mounted 
on their own peculiar breed, rather small in size, with 
yew neck, and cat hams, but fleet, hardy, sagacious and 
enduring, and most admirably adapted for the duty re¬ 
quired of light troops—the sudden foray, skirmishing, 
leading on to the attaek, or harrassing an enemy, or co¬ 
vering its friends in a retreat. 
The style of traveling in the country is with from three 
to six horses abreast, with or Avithout a pair of leaders 
as might be required, rope traces, and all the rest of the 
harness as rude as possible ; the carriages, however, are 
comfortable. In the city the equipages are generally 
splendid, Avith showy harness, and the bridles univer¬ 
sally without blinders. Four horses are the ton, with 
a postillion, a coachman, and two footmen to all that 
can afford them, the leaders being harnessed in with 
long traces, that placed them ten feet or so in advance 
of the pole horses, thus giving the whole equipage a 
much more dashy appearance. This was the usual 
style of the nobility; the Emperor Nicholas generally 
thus took his airings in an open barouche, with but a 
single footman, the Dowager Empress, and Georgian 
Queen, each in their OAvn carriage Avith six horses, the 
servants in gaudy livery, Avith a company of out-riders 
in dashy uniform. 
But the most common vehicle, and that which Avas 
used in the toAvns and their suburbs alike by all, from 
the Emperor down to the loAvest citizen, whenever it 
suited their pleasure or convenience, was the single 
droshky. This is a mode of conveyance I belieA r e 
unique to Russia, and is so cheap and agreeable, I won¬ 
der it has never been introduced into our own cities. 
For a description, let the reader imagine a bench about 
fifteen inches wide, and four feet long, elegantly cush¬ 
ioned, Avith a raised back to recline against, and a seat 
forward for the driver, all hung on easy springs, over 
very Ioav wheels, with a boot on each side, and step at 
the bottom something like those attached to a city om¬ 
nibus, curling over the rim of the low Avheels, and 
serving the double purpose of a rest for the feet, and 
to keep the dust and dirt from being throAvn on to the 
rider. A fast trotting horse is placed in the fills, and 
one moves round the wide streets at a cheap rate, and 
Avith great expedition. Aside from its being the com¬ 
mon hack of the city, the droshky is frequently used 
as a highly stylish and fashionable vehicle, especially 
by dandy bachelors, and the gay officers of the imperial 
guards. In addition then to the fast trotter in the fills, 
another horse is added, trained to naggishly turn out his 
head and gallop alongside, and when one desires to be 
rather outre stylish, a galloper is harnessed on each 
side of the fill horse, making three abreast. I can 
conceive nothing more spirited or dashy in horse driving 
than this. The American supercargoes and ship cap¬ 
tains patronized it Avith great glee. A single ride in 
this style seemed to make up for the deprivations of 
a whole voyage, and they significantly termed it a 
regular built clipper, scudding afore a gale of wind, 
Avith all her lower studding sails set. 
The ezvotzhik of the establishment is hardly less 
unique than his droshky. He wears a splendid forked 
trimmed beard flowing nearly or quite doAvn to his gir¬ 
dle, a scarlet checked shirt without collar and no cravat, 
a long blue caftan buckled round him Avith a highly po¬ 
lished leather belt, neat boots, and a Ioav bell-croAvned 
hat, Avith a wide ribbon, dashy buckle, and brim know¬ 
ingly curled at the sides. Thus equipped, the rider 
throws himself astride the droshky bench, letting his 
feet rest easily in the boot on each side, and gracefully 
leaning back, gives the Avord poscarrie —go ahead. The 
ezA r otzhik noAv seizes a rein with either hand, his horses 
seem to enter into the spirit of the thing, and he moves off 
like a second Phaeton, leaving the rider to the convic¬ 
tion that a_ droshky drive en gallopade, through the mag¬ 
nificent streets of St. Petersburg, along the banks of the 
clear NeA r a, and over the garden grounds of the superb 
neighboring palaces, on a quiet summer’s day, is well 
worth the trouble and suffering of a long voyage across 
the Atlantic. A. B. A. 
Expense of Keeping Useless Horses. 
Messrs. Gaylord and Tucker —I have long been 
satisfied, that many farmers keep useless horses; but 
had not been so forcibly impressed with the ruinous con¬ 
sequences, as to think of Avriting any thing on the sub¬ 
ject, till I met Avith an article in a Pennsylvania paper, 
taken from the Farmer’s Cabinet, estimating the ex¬ 
pense of keeping extra horses. The article alluded to, 
makes a minute calculation on the difference of keeping 
seA r en extra horses, or fourteen coavs, and irresistibly 
enforces upon the mind, the truth, that a few useless 
horses Avill eat up the income of any common farmer, 
Avho is guilty of such injudicious management. I Avrite 
this, to call the attention of farmers to the subject, knoAv- 
ing that it needs but little reflection to satisfy them, that 
my calculations are correct; and that the consequences 
must be blighting to all their efforts for independence or 
affluence. As I am not so conversant with the expense 
of keeping coavs, or the profits arising from them, as 
sheep, I shall substitute them for coavs. I belieA r e twen¬ 
ty sheep may be kept with less expense, less care, and 
less liability to disease or accident, than one horse; and 
the profits from twenty well selected, and well attended 
sheep, Avould not, on an average for the last ten years, 
have been less than three dollars a head, for avooI and 
increase; making sixty dollars a year—and that sum, 
with the like added to it each year, and kept at annual 
interest for ten years, Avould amount to $828.94; and the 
difference of keeping the useless horses ten years, would 
be $2,486.82, and for fifteen years, it Avould be about 
$4,400; and for twenty years, about $7,200; and for 
thirty years, $16,560 ; and for forty years, $34,000. 
Figures will not lie, and the conclusion is, that the dif¬ 
ference between keeping one extra horse, or the same 
stock in sheep, makes, in the actual profits of the farm¬ 
er in ten years, the sum of $825.94; or three useless 
<r 
