merit, in suitable quantities. Gypsum effects this ob¬ 
ject in any soil containing carbonate of potash. Butin 
wet, sour soils the carbonic acid is expelled by the ace¬ 
tic and other acids, the gypsum remains without change, 
and therefore produces no beneficial results. So, also, 
near the sea coast, the alkalis have become muriates, 
and the gypsum has no effect. Probably the applica¬ 
tion of potash with the gypsum, might render it efficient 
in both cases. 
Gypsum is found to have the greatest effect on sandy, 
Or silicious soils. The reason is obvious. Silex is gene¬ 
rally combined with potash, which is freed by attract¬ 
ing carbonic acid from the atmosphere. It exchanges 
acids with the gypsum, and becomes sulphate of pot¬ 
ash. 
If my reasoning be correct, it follows that the con¬ 
stant use of gypsum may impoverish soils by abstract¬ 
ing the potash they contain, unless it be in excess, or be 
restored by the application of other manures. I mean 
to say, that it will use up the fertilizing ingredients of 
the soil, if the vegetation be removed without any thing 
being returned. 
Gypsum is understood to migitate the effects of 
drought. Yet we know that it solidifies water, and 
does not attract it more rapidly than common salts. 
But the sulphate of potash, the indirect product of gyp¬ 
sum, is deliquescent, and powerfully attracts moisture. 
The effect is not accounted for by former theories. 
Although phosphate of lime is a salt which enters in¬ 
to the composition of most of the useful plants, the fact 
appears to have received very little attention. The ker¬ 
nels of wheat contain, according to the tables of M. The 
de Saussure, over 5 per cent of it. Every twenty bush¬ 
els of wheat require over one bushel of the phos¬ 
phate ; yet our chemists have not inquired how it is to 
be supplied to the plant or to the soil. Chaptal recom¬ 
mends the use of bones as a manure, on account of the 
gelatin and other animal matters they contain; but 
seems to consider the phosphate of lime, which they 
contain in great abundance, as insoluble, and therefore 
useless. But the substance is soluble in excess of 
phosphoric acid, and in most of the acids. No doubt 
nature finds means of dissolving it for the use of those 
plants that require it. The ashes of wood contain phos¬ 
phate of lime in considerable quantity. They also con¬ 
tain much finely divided silex. Whether the latter sub¬ 
stance would be useful or injurious to wheat, I am una¬ 
ble to say. 
I will remark, in conclusion, that barn yard manure 
contains phosphate and carbonate of lime, sulphate of 
potash, and indeed all the salts required for vegetables. 
It will answer our purpose very well, if we can get 
enough of it. If not, it is an object to increase its ef¬ 
fects by other manures—the means and manner of ap¬ 
plying which, ought to be discovered by chemical analy¬ 
sis, and well conducted agricultural experiments. 
Very respectfully, 
U. F. DOUBLEDAY. 
Scipioville, Feb. 1840. 
Expense and Profit of different Crops. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker' —As I have leisure at 
present, I Avill give you a statement of some of my 
crops the past year. I expected to raise the heaviest 
crop of corn that was in the state, by the acre. But I 
find by Mr. Ingles’ statement, I am far short of it. I 
planted adjoining my premium piece last year, an ex¬ 
cellent clover lay of four years’ standing, soil sandy loam 
with a little gravel. I drew on twenty-five loads of 
barn-yard manure to the acre, (six in number,) plowed 
once, roiled and dragged, planted 10th and 11th of May, 
with a drill, three feet by one and a half to two feet 
apart; hoed three times, used a cultivator each time 
twice in a rod; took care to leave but three and four 
stalks in a hill; cut it at the ground about the middle 
of September; set it up in small stooks, measured one 
acre accurately, in one corner of the lot, supposing it 
to be the best; but on husking found that we might have 
chosen a better acre. We measured and weighed accu¬ 
rately ; had 87 bushels 33 lbs.; we were quite certain 
that the six acres would yield at that rate. My land 
was equally good as last year, but only half as much 
manure was applied, and the season has not been near 
as good as 183 > in this region. My corn is quite sound, 
and I could have contracted it at five shillings per bush¬ 
el ; it is the 12 rowed variety, yellow. I have been 
quite successful with my sugar beets and ruta baga. I 
chose a piece for beets near my house, that was former¬ 
ly a very springy spot; no less than eight springs on 
less than three-fourths of an acre. I have had about 
30 rods of blind ditches made on it, with two open 
ditches through it; planted with potatoes, in 1838 had a 
very good crop; the soil is very changeable, muck, sandy 
loam, gravel, clay, &c. Stiff clay gravel proves the 
poorest of any for beets, stiff clay next; very little dif¬ 
ference between the other soils; I put no manure on 
any except the sandy loam. I carted a little sand on a 
part of the stiff clay, spread three inches thick; the ef¬ 
fect was great; it produced three times as much as where 
there was no sand. The ground was plowed twice, 
dragged and rolled, then ridged with a small corn plow, 
about 22 inches from the centre of each ridge; planted by 
hand, 6th and 8th of June, eight inches apart, with seed 
that had been soaked several days previous; sprouted 
some roots more than an inch long; came up well, ex¬ 
cept a few papers from a box of garden seeds, (yellow 
sugar beets,) but we was careful to transplant all that 
failed. I think the white beet the best; some weighed 
9 or 10 pounds, most of them large; there is in the 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
patch 117 rods and 63 feet of land; the two open ditches 
deducted, 112 rods remain; gathered 774| bushels; I 
find them excellent food for cattle, hogs, &c. I have 
raised 1264£ bushels of ruta bagas on one acre : the soil 
sandy loam; had spring wheat on the year before; put 
20 loads of sheep manure on; plowed twice, dragged 
and sowed on the level surface, 18th of June, with a 
drill 2 feet 2 inches apart; the ground was very mellow 
and all vegetation completely dead; we hoed as soon 
as we could see the rows after they came up, without 
using the cultivator; the second time in the same way, 
taking care to leave but one plant in a hill, from 8 to 14 
inches apart, generally 12 inches. Gathered in Novem¬ 
ber. 
Expense of an acre of Corn. 
25 loads of manure, at 4s..$12 50 
1 day plowing,. 2 00 
■§ “ rolling and harrowing,. 1 00 
5 “ planting, with boy to drop pumpkin seed, 38 
8 u hoeing, thinning, &c. at 6s. 6 00 
2 ‘‘ with horse and cultivator,. 2 00 
4 “ cutting and shooking, at 6s. 3 00 
8 “ husking, housing, &c. at 6s,. 6 00 
1 bushel plaster, sowed broad cast,. 38 
| bushel seed corn at 8s.. 75 
Board included. $34 01 
Value of Crop. ------- 
87| bushels at 5s.$58 38 
8 loads of stalks, at 6s. 6 00 
6 loads of pumpkins, at 8s... 6 00 
Turneps enough to pay interest on land. 
$70 38 
Manure for after crop,. 8 00 
$78 38 
Expense,... 34 01 
Nett profit,. $46 37 
Expense of one acre of Ruta Bagas. - ■ 
2 days’ plowing, at 16s. $4 00 
l “ dragging,. 75 
20 loads of manure, at 4s. 10 00 
1 pound of seed,.. 1 00 
Planting with drill,. 50 
8 days hoeing first time,. 6 00 
10 “ second time, at 6s.. 7 50 
Transplanting,. 1 00 
7 days’ harvesting and housing,. 5 25 
Interest on land,. 3 50 
$39 50 
Value of Crop. -- 
1264-1 bushels, at Is...$150 06 
Tops for cattle and sheep,'. 4 00 
Manure for after crops,. 6 00 
$168 06 
Expense deducted,. 39 50 
Nett profit,.$128 56 
I will mention that the transplanting was done in 
showers, or wet weather. 
I have just measured my crop of oats that grew on a 
little less than one and three-fourths of an acre of my 
corn stubble of 1838 ; we had 230| bushels that is over 
130 bushels to the acre, of first rate black oats. Thus 
we see what manure is for after crops. 
Expense of 112 rods Beets. 
5 loads of manure, at 4s.$2 50 
1 “ sand,. 50 
3^ days’ plowing and rolling,. 3 00 
1 “ ridging, &c. 1 00 
4 “ planting with boys,. 2 00 
2 pounds seed, at 8s. 2 00 
4 papers, at 6p. 0 25 
10 days’ hoeing, thinning A &c. at 6s. 7 50 
6 “ with boys, at 4s... 3 00 
Transplanting, odd spells,... 1 00 
6 days gathering, at 6s. 4 50 
Interest on land,... 2 00 
Board included. $29 25 
Value of Crop. .-■-■■-■-■■.-.t 
774i bushels, at Is.$96 59 
Expense deducted,... 29 25 
Nett profit,. $67 37 
I could sell many of them at two shillings per bush¬ 
el, and the tops were eat greedily by the cows. 
I am able to prove, by substantial witnesses, the cor¬ 
rectness of the above statements, if it is called for. 
J. F. OSBORN. 
Port-Byron, January 22, 1840. 
Roads. 
Doctor Humphrey, in his admirable letters from Eu¬ 
rope, remarked that America has not yet learnt, in lay¬ 
ing out her roads, that it was as long over a hill as 
round it; and this just observation I generally found 
true to the sore trial of my patience, and the weariness 
of my horse, in a journey through the southern tiers of 
counties last summer. The pioneers of ‘these settle¬ 
ments seemed determined to make the highways as 
straight as possible, and had they calculated on balloon 
traveling, no doubt their engineering was eminently 
just; but to crawl up to the peak of one great long hill, 
from one side, just to be able to descend to the bottom 
of it, on the other; and be obliged to cross over fifty 
pitches, more or less, to accomplish this in addition, I 
opine, reasoning mathematically, is somewhat crooked, 
and that going round the base of the hill is but little or 
no further, than going over it. The pace of my horse 
on a level road, I found, was about seven miles an hour. 
And he would easily accomplish fifty to sixty a day, but 
up hill, it Avas hard Avork at three miles an hour, and de¬ 
scending at four, making only about thirty a day. 
In laying out the new roads, in this section of the 
country, I find this great mistake by the first settlers, is 
fast being rectified; and the slopes and curves of the 
hills, and the windings of the valleys, are skillfully seiz¬ 
ed upon by the surveyors, to obtain levels, and, at most, 
to have the ascents and descents as gradual as possible. 
I would particularly point out, as an admirable example 
of skill in turning hills, the new turnpike, leading from 
NeAv-Berlin, Otsego county, on to Catskill; and I rely 
upon the improving genius of my countrymen, to see 
many more such to add to the comfort and convenience 
of the weary traveler. 
Milking. 
Massachusetts’ shreAvd, observing agricultural sur 
veyor, Mr. Coleman, says that milking is no longer in 
fashion, by the fair fingers of America. I only wish 
he had passed through the beautiful village of Hamil¬ 
ton with me last summer. He would have found at 
least one exception to this remark. After seeing my 
steed well cared for, and laying in pretty bounti¬ 
fully Avith provender on my own behalf, I sallied 
out, as is my usual mode, for a view of the town, and 
whatever curious might be contained therein. Taking 
the southern side of the nice Park, that the good taste 
of the inhabitants has reserved for an agreeable airing, 
gazing now on the romantic grouping of the distant 
hills beyond, and then on the pretty architecture of the 
houses fronting the open space, with their charming 
door yards; all at once I Avas brought up by the sight 
of a noble cow showing at least three parts of the Dur¬ 
ham breed in her fine muzzle short horns, thick loins, 
and large distended udder, the milk oozing out in great 
fresh globules from the almost bursting teats. This 
was attraction enough to make a person of my taste in 
kine flesh, halt for a profound view. But I had hardly 
given a second look, Avhen out trips from the next white 
cottage in front to the grass enclosure, a charming, rosy 
cheeked girl, with a garland of fioAvers round her head, 
and a pail painted green without, and as white within 
as the plump, alabaster arm, bared nearly to the elbow, 
from Avhich it was suspended. Gracefully seating her¬ 
self on a three-legged stool, and uttering in a sweet, sub¬ 
duing accent, So, my gentle mully, so,” she commenced 
stripping away. I declare, the sight made my bachelor 
heart almost leap from within me, and I thought to my¬ 
self, as did Cobbett, when he fell in love with his future 
wife, wringing clothes at a Avasb tub, “that’s the girl 
for me.” — 
Straw. 
I am paying at the rate of three dollars per ton, for 
straw delivered at my stock yard, solely to keep my 
stock clean, dry and warm in their stables. I think, in¬ 
deed I know, it it is Avorth the money for this purpose 
alone, to say nothing of its value as manure, and assist¬ 
ance, when ploAved into a heavy soil, to lighten and pul¬ 
verize it; and yet on hundreds of farms that I passed 
during my journey, I saw heaps upon heaps of valuable 
straw transported from the barn to the field, not for the 
purpose of being plowed into the ground, to decompose 
and again make more straw, but to be burned, and its 
ashes scattered to the four winds of heaA'-en. Oh, waste¬ 
ful extravagance, that will be mourned over and regret¬ 
ted by future generations ! that can only get ten and fif¬ 
teen bushels of wheat from the acre, that now produces 
its thirty and forty. Yours, 
THOMAS TRAVELER. 
Diseases of Sheep. 
Editors of Cultivator —Please have the goodness 
to publish, in your paper, the following letter addressed 
to H. D. Grove, Esq. of Rensselaer county, and oblige 
your ob’t serv’t, J. V. H. Clark. 
Manlius, Feb. 3, 1840. 
To H. D. Grove, Esq,.—Knorving your willingness at 
all times to subserve the cause and best interests of ag¬ 
riculture, and most especially that branch of it connect¬ 
ed with sheep husbandry, and knowing, also, your great 
personal experience in the business of rearing and ma¬ 
naging sheep, and in the treatment of the various dis¬ 
eases to which they are subject, I take the liberty of 
setting “a case” before you, through the columns of the 
Cultivator—presuming you will haA^e the goodness to 
respond to it through the same channel, that our neigh¬ 
bors may also reap some fruits from your observations. 
Last September, I purchased about forty lambs ap 
parently in perfect health: soon after, I observed one 
lamb occasionally nibbling at different parts of his 
body—at each nibble he Avould draAv out a small lock 
of avooI. I then supposed he Avas biting off some burrs, 
of Avhich there were a few scattered over the body. I 
thought little or nothing more of it, though I occasion¬ 
ally saw others in the like condition, till after they were 
brought to the barn for Avinter, Avhen I found, by more 
particular observation, that something unusual must be 
the matter. I now took exact note of their motions. 
It seems that, in most individuals, the attack com¬ 
mences 00 the shoulders, and in some just above the 
