THE CULTIVATOR. 
47 
important for the American people to prevent these 
evils, it is therefore recommended that some action 
should be had by the Legislature now in session, to do 
something more effectually to encourage the production 
of this elegant article, either by directly offering a pro¬ 
per stimulous to exertion, or by passing resolutions re¬ 
questing Congress to impose suitable duties, that will 
afford ample protection to those engaged in this branch 
of Agriculture. 
Resolved, That as the American Institute, of the city 
of New-York, has, ever since its existence, greatly 
evinced its usefulness and benefits to the interest of 
Agriculture, as well as to mechanical skill and the arts, 
it is therefore recommended that this Convention re-^ 
spectfully suggest to the Legislature the propriety of 
making at least, a small appropriation to that very use¬ 
ful institution—without which its existence must either 
be abandoned, or its benefits and usefulness very much 
diminished. 
Mr. Morris, of Westchester, from the committee to 
whom was referred the resolution relative to the Smith¬ 
sonian bequest, reported the following resolution, which 
was adopted: 
Resolved , That a committee be appointed to procure 
the passage of a resolution by the Senate and Assembly 
of this state, requesting Congress to appropriate a por¬ 
tion of the Smithsonian bequest to the establishment of 
an Agricultural School, in the city of Washington. 
Messrs. J. B. Nott and C. E. Clarke, were appointed 
said committee. 
Mr. Bergen, of Kings, offered the following resolution, 
which was adopted, and Messrs. T. B. Wakeman of 
New-York, C. Bergen and Gen. Johnson of Kings, P. 
Potter of Dutchess, J. J. Viele of Rensselaer, and A. 
Van Bergen of Greene, were appointed a committee to 
prepare the report. 
Resolved, That a committee of six be appointed to 
prepare a report on the future prospects of Agriculture, 
Manufactures and the Mechanic Arts of this state, to 
be illustrated by such statistics as the committee may 
deem appropriate, and that the report, when completed, 
be published in the Cultivator and the Journal of the 
American Institute. 
On motion of Mr. Beekman, 
Resolved, That the thanks of this Convention be ten¬ 
dered to the President, for the dignified and able man¬ 
ner in which he has presided over its deliberations. 
The President responded to this resolution as follows: 
President’s Address. 
Gentlemen of the Convention —-The vote which 
you have just passed, and the unexpected honor which 
you have conferred, in calling me to preside ovor your 
deliberations, make it necessary for me to return my 
thanks for this flattering evidence of your considera¬ 
tion. 
That agriculture is an unfailing source of individual 
wealth and happiness, and lies at the very foundation of 
our national prosperity, all will concede. But while this 
opinion in the abstract, is readily granted, it must be 
perceived by all, who have observed the course of 
events for the last few years, that it has been practically 
denied. 
Commercial pursuits, mercantile business, buying and 
selling and getting gain, have absorbed the attention of 
our enterprising youth, and our ambitious men. The 
occupation of cultivating the soil, though eminently 
prosperous, has been too tame a pursuit to gratify the ex¬ 
cited temperament of the times. Hence our large cities 
and towns have been constantly draining from the coun¬ 
try the choicest of our youth. The old homestead had 
lost its attractions. The whistling of the ploughman 
had ceased ; discontentment had unnerved his arm and 
choked his utterance, as he followed his sluggish team. 
His mind wandered from his business, and dwelt with 
fondness upon the money-making projects of the age. 
But in the course of events, we are called to witness 
a violent re-action. Mercantile pursuits, overrun and 
inflated, have proved visionary and fruitless. 
We think we do not mistake the signs of the times, 
when we say, that public opinion, although through 
much tribulation, begins once more to dwell with pecu¬ 
liar favor upon the occupations of the farm. 
The prodigals in business, care-worn and oppressed, 
are beginning to learn, that there is hidden wealth, solid 
happiness, and enduring prosperity clustered around 
their paternal acres. 
Let us, gentlemen, who have never wavered in our 
attachment to the soil, who have never deserted the bu- 
smes we love—and which has been so faithful to us, let 
us at this time indulge in mutual congratulation, that 
our favorite pursuit is once more eliciting songs of 
praise from all men. Be it our ambition to improve the 
occasion—while many of our fellow-citizens are return¬ 
ing from a career of folly, shorn of their strength, with 
hopes prostrated and spirits subdued, let us point them, 
with cheering voice, to one occupation where their feet 
may rest in quiet, where they may yet attain and secure 
for themselves and their families the greatest blessings 
of human life—health, peace and competency. 
Be it our ambition to prove to the world by the purity 
of our lives, and the wisdom of our conduct, that happi¬ 
ness is not to be sought in the wild and visionary schemes 
which from time to time afflict mankind, but will readi¬ 
ly be found in the retired and peaceful cultivation of 
the mind and the soil. 
Gentlemen, I trust you will pardon me for reminding 
you, that you owe a duty to your country in another 
point of view, which I hope will always press with force 
up^n your coe c " ; " v — 
The political duties of farmers should he discharged 
with great intelligence and care. 
Their individual prosperity is identified with the pros¬ 
perity of their country. They form the great moral 
balance wheel of our political machine. 
The people of our cities and large towns are compara¬ 
tively unsafe depositories of political power. They are 
too much influenced by the passing events of the day. 
They live and move in the midst of excitement. 
But the American farmer who walks in freedom upon 
his own soil, acknowledging no superiority but what 
justice, intelligence and virtue confer, whose interest is 
identified with no polluting associations, whose mind con¬ 
templates in undisturbed calmness the political measures 
of the times—having no inducement to do otherwise, he 
ought to exercise his political power for his country’s 
good. 
How important is it that the public opinion which 
divells in the distant hamlet, which inhabits the hills 
and valleys of our land, and when concentrated controls 
the destinies of our beloved country—how important is 
it, this that public opinion should be enlightened and 
virtuous. 
The circumstances connected with our meeting to¬ 
gether on this occasion, remind us of one whose life was 
devoted to the work of elevating and chastening that 
public opinion—whose attachment to the cause of agri¬ 
culture, and whose honest and successful efforts in dis¬ 
seminating useful knowledge, had acquired for him a 
strong hold on the affections of the farmer. We have 
felt his absence on this occasion—for he was ever pre¬ 
sent, with zeal to encourage and wisdom to direct our 
proceedings. 
He has gone, down to his grave with a reputation 
which the most ambitious may well covet. Let the sons 
of our farmers witness in his life a full exemplification 
that the pursuit of agriculture may be the means of 
eminent usefulness and distinguished honor. 
As it is said of Washington, that his virtues are em¬ 
balmed in the hearts of his countrymen, it may be said 
of Jesse Buel, that his tomb is the memory of the culti¬ 
vators of the soil. 
Permit me, once more gentlemen, to thank you for the 
manifestations of kindness contained in the vote which 
you have just passed. 
After the appointment of a committee to prepare the 
proceedings of the Convention for publication, the Con¬ 
vention, on motion of Judge Knickerbacker, adjourned 
sine die. 
The Convention, in the course of its deliberations, 
was addressed by Messrs. Beekman of Columbia, Ber¬ 
gen of Kings, Nott and Duane of Schenectady, Me 
Gowan of Tompkins, Knickerbacker and Viele of Rens¬ 
selaer, Morris of Westchester, and others. 
ttfoimnunicatioua. 
Importance of Water in Stock Yards. 
Few persons are aware of the great importance of a 
supply of running water in yards, where cattle and sheep 
arc confined in winter, unless they have enjoyed that 
privilege, and afterwards been deprived of it. 
Great losses are often sustained by accidents, when 
cattle are compelled to go any distance from the yard 
for their daily supply of water, that great restorative 
and corrective of dry fodder; and, besides, much ma 
nure is also lost 
My experience teaches me the fact, that where dry 
fodder is dealt out, they drink, when water is conveni¬ 
ent, from six to eight times a day; and I find, by an 
examination of the stock throughout the country, that 
their good or bad condition is generally, if not invaria¬ 
bly, in proportion to the facility of obtaining water. 
Their timidity in overcoming trifling obstacles in or¬ 
der to obtain water, is no less observable. I have 
known them to endure thirst and cold with apparent 
indifference, rather than encounter or make any at¬ 
tempts to pass over ice or snow drifts. 
Often have I seen them stand on the brink of a small 
stream, the banks of which were covered with ice, and 
a little higher than the stream—look wishfully at the 
water, shake their heads in doubt, make an attempt to 
reach the water, slip a little, shake their heads again, 
then turn and hook the first animal that unfortunately 
happens to be in their way, and go off, until thirst urged 
them to encounter every difficulty ; when they would 
fill themselves nearly to bursting, and return to the 
yard, shaking and shivering as though attacked with an 
ague fit. 
It was but a few days since the well in my cattle 
yard failed to furnish a supply of water; in consequence 
of which, I was obliged to drive my cattle to a small 
pond, where I had cut several holes through the ice for 
them to drink. They could not be satisfied to drink 
from the holes cut for them, but must, forsooth, wander 
about in every direction. It was but a few moments, 
before down went one of my oxen, up to his back in 
the water. Fortunately it was not very deep, and after 
three or four attempts he made out to extricate himself. 
Soon after, further up, and where the stream enters the 
pond, splash, splash, went one of the calves, up to his 
ears in water, and struggling a few moments, regained 
the bank. This animal had but just recovered itself, 
before my attention was attracted to that part of the 
pond, where the ox had broken in. One of the other 
calves had been forced into the hole, by one of the 
larger animals, and came very near being drowned. 
Had the water been a little deeper, both the ox and 
calves might have been lost. 
Now, a well of water, in a stock yard, is far prefera¬ 
ble to no water, but cattle can not pump, at least mine 
can not, and those who have charge of them do not al¬ 
ways know when the animals are in want, consequent¬ 
ly they must sometimes sutler ; but where a stream of 
water is constantly running in the yard, they can drink 
when and as often as they desire it. 
The Shakers, at Watervliet, formerly had their cat¬ 
tle yards supplied with water, conducted from a spring 
some eighty or ninety rods distant from their yards, 
and, if I am not much mistaken, it was conducted in a 
lead tube. Some obstruction (possibly air) has caused 
it to stop, and they were obliged to drive their cattle to 
a small stream to drink. I am informed by a gentle¬ 
man who lately visited them, that their cattle do not 
keep in as good order, as vvhen they had a constant 
supply in the yard. 
When I purchased my farm, I was very particular to 
ascertain that there was a full supply of good water 
on the premises, both for domestic use, as well as for 
stock. In addition to one well of very superior water, there 
are two of inferior, besides a never failing stream of 
pure, soft water, which passes through the centre of the 
farm, supplying eight lots; but the stream runs in a 
valley thirty-five feet below the level of the barn yard, 
and fifty feet below, and forty-two rods distant from my 
house. Now, it occurred to me that a dam might be 
erected, and a small apparatus applied, something on 
the principle of the “ Fair Mount Works,” at Philadel¬ 
phia, by which the water could be forced up to my 
house; but the difficulty and trouble of procuring the 
necessary machinery, as different mechanics would 
have to be employed, prevented me from making the 
attempt, until chance threw in my way Messrs. Goey 
and Ireland, of Watervliet. 
At the farm of the latter gentleman an apparatus, 
very simple in construction, had been erected, and had 
been in operation for some time, which forced the wa¬ 
ter sixty rods up a rise of fifty-eight feet. 
After taking a survey of my premises, I engaged 
them to erect a similar apparatus, of which the follow- 
ing cut and description may give some idea: 
In the first place, a dam was made sufficiently high 
to give a head of three feet; below which, and on one 
side of the stream, a cistern was sunk, the top being 
even with the surface of the earth, five feet deep and 
four feet square, in which was placed an over-shot wa¬ 
ter-wheel two feet and eight inches in diameter, with 
buckets twelve inches long. Tothecrank (A) on the shaft 
of the water-wheel,is attached the piston rod (B) of a small 
cast iron forcing pump, (C) eight inches long and one and 
three-fourths of an inch in diameter, moving on two 
gudgeons near the bottom. To one of the gudgeons, 
which is hollow, and on which the pump works, is at¬ 
tached a leathern hose or tube, (F) carefully fitted and se¬ 
cured by winding a small cord tight around it, which 
being elastic, allows the lateral motion of the pump, 
and conducts the water to a lead tube (D) inserted in the 
log. The pump is set in a water-tight box, one foot 
square and eight inches deep, which is supplied with 
water from the trunk, (G,) that conducts the water on 
to the wheel. This trunk is four by six inches diame¬ 
ter, and affords sufficient water on the wheel to force 
from twelve to fourteen hundred gallons per day to my 
house, which is fifty feet above the level of the creek, 
From the resorvoir near my house, into which the 
water is discharged, is conveyed in half inch lead tubes 
to my cattle and sheep yards, which are ten feet lower 
than the reservoir. 
This furnished a supply of tvater for my house and 
stock, until the great freshet in January, 1839, which 
carried off the dam, and put a stop to the works until 
spring. As soon as the frost was out of the ground, I 
repaired the dam and set it in motion again, but it had 
been in operation only a few days, before the water was 
let off by a muskrat, that tapped it by diggine a hole 
through the dam. Nothing daunted by these misfor¬ 
tunes, I again repaired the breach and started the pump 
once more, since which it has continued to work well, 
and much to my satisfaction. 
I have said that the water tvas conducted from the 
