52 
THE CULTIVATOR 
to friend Thorburn—you are entirely welcome to the 
few pennys you have filched from my pocket. 
Your constant reader, 
SHERMAN BASSETT. 
North-East, Dutchess Co., Dec. 17, 1839. 
Cheap Sheds for Cattle—cheap Gates—and other 
Matters. 
"A merciful man is merciful to his beast.” 
Editors of the Cultivator —I wish your corres¬ 
pondent, “ L. A . M.,” would write his name in full. Not 
that it would add value to his valuable essays upon 
sheep husbandry; but a man, possessed of such bene¬ 
volent feelings towards the brute creation, must be a 
valuable acquaintance: and one great advantage, de¬ 
rived from such a work as the Cultivator, or your late 
Genesee Farmer, is, that it adds many valuable acquain¬ 
tances to our present stock, from which a reciprocal be¬ 
nefit is often derived. Now, sirs, if were passing 
through Tompkins county, I should no more think of 
passing the house of “ L. A. M.” (if I could find him 
out,) than I should think of passing my own brother. 
Indeed, all the, pioneers in agricultural improvement 
should feel like brothers. Money could not buy the en¬ 
joyment I have derived from circumstances which have 
grown out of my correspondence with agricultural pa¬ 
pers. If flattering eulogies can advance one’s happi¬ 
ness, the few trifling efforts of mine to be useful, have 
certainly increased my happiness, in a manner that 
riches cannot afford; and I hope the happiness of “ L. 
A. M.” may be increased, by knowing that there is one 
who appreciates his merciful feelings towards domestic 
animals, as shown in his communication in the January 
number. 
The temporary protection to cattle, noticed by “ L. 
A. M.,” or something similar, is all that can be given 
in a new settled country like many parts of the West. 
And here, it often pains me to see such a want of fore¬ 
thought, want of energy, want of mercy towards stock, 
or else a most lamentable want of “ the know how.” If 
it is the want of “ know how,” I should be happy to 
bestow knowledge, gratis. I have good, warm stabling 
for some forty head of cattle and sheep, that did not 
cost ten dollars. The sides are built with rails laid up 
in pens about two or three feet wide, supported of 
course by cross pieces, and the space filled in with old 
hay, straw, turfs, or small bushes with the leaves on, 
until the requisite height is attained, and then covered 
with poles, rails, and coarse hay. Any quantity of hay 
for covering can be had in a prairie country, for a small 
amount of labor. A small ditch or bank on the upper 
side, keeps the water from the bank inside, which, well 
covered w>th straw, makes an excellent floor. Such a 
stable will last with slight repairs, three or four years ; 
and yet how many expose their whole stock, winter af¬ 
ter winter, by the side of a stack on the open prairie, 
where the north-west wind sometimes blows almost 
hard enough to take their hides from their backs, were 
it not for the natural adhesiveness between “ skin and 
bone.” Others make vast improvement upon such 
“ tender mercy,” and shut them up in a “ log stable with¬ 
out chinking or daubing,” with two rails crosswise for 
a door, and through which the wind whistles loud 
enough to break the heart of a man possessed of a 
tithe of the kind feelings of “ L. A. M.” Here, fed up¬ 
on a scanty allowance of prairie hay, (which, by-the- 
bye, is good or bad. as it is cut and cured,) the poor 
creatures drag out a miserable existence. And, do you 
inquire, do they live? Yes, sometimes: for nature, 
more provident than their cruel masters, provides them 
with a coat of hair, that would do honor to “ Nick 
Bradshaw’s wooly horse.” In the spring, the cows 
bring forth a poor “ runt of a calf”—the owner curses 
the bad breed of bulls, and the wife wonders why her 
cows don’t give milk like some of her neighbors. The 
sheep, like the cattle, shed their winter coat, and with¬ 
out the trouble of shearing; furnishing, however, a 
rare opportunity for the exercise of industry to the 
“wool gatherers.” 
Can a man be a good man, who so treats his domes¬ 
tic animals ? I fear such treatment is not confined to 
this country. If agricultural schools are ever estab¬ 
lished, I hope one of the first principles taught, will be 
that “a merciful man is merciful to his beast.” 
But enough of cheap stables, sheds, &c. Now, about 
Cheap Gates. I write for the poor—the new begin¬ 
ner. 
I have some two dozen gates on my place, and not a 
6crap of iron, except the nails, about them. I can make 
and hang one, cheaper than I can made a set of bars. 
In fact, I would not have the latter on my farm. 
The hanging post of the gate projects two or three 
inches below the bottom slat, and is rounded off to a 
point which stands in a hole bored about an inch deep 
in a block, set nearly even with the surface next to the 
post which the gate hangs to, or if that post is hewed, 
a shoulder may be left, in which a hole can be bored 
with a very short handle auger. The top of the hang¬ 
ing post projects six inches above the upper slat, and is 
made round, and is kept to its place by a tough hoop, 
nailed to the gate post. I can make and hang two or 
three such gates in a day, and the expense is very tri¬ 
fling. When a hinge breaks, it is easily repaired with¬ 
out running to the blacksmith. I consider a gate, “a 
labor-saving piece of machinery,” and I think none 
would do without them, if they knew how cheap they 
could have them. 
There is another great labor-saving machine, that I 
am astonished how any farmer can do without. It is 
the humble wheelbarrow. If this was some new in¬ 
vention, every one would be running after it—at all 
events, when he used it. 
Forgive me, if I have become tedious, and accept the 
kind respects of your friend, 
SOLON ROBINSON. 
Lake Court-House , Ind’a , Jan. 24, 1840. 
Cankerworm—Manning’s Book of Fruits. 
Gentlemen —I am very desirous to ascertain, whe¬ 
ther you or your correspondents, can inform me of the 
best mode of protecting fruit trees against the ravages 
of the cankerworm. It almost literally destroyed our 
apples here the past season, and threatens, unless some 
effectual remedy can be found less troublesome and ex¬ 
pensive than the tedious process of tarring, to render 
the raising of apples here hardly worth attempting. 
Will you or someone of your correspondents give an ac¬ 
count of the mode that is esteemed the most effectual, 
that has hitherto been tried, and also if any new me¬ 
thod is suggested, and if by lead or tin troughs, what is 
the best mode of construction, with what filled, and 
when put up, &.c. It is very desirable to have the in¬ 
formation in season, to prevent their attacks the ensu¬ 
ing spring. 
Last year, I purchased a copy of “ Manning’s Book 
of Fruits,” and was very much pleased with it, as the 
reputation of the author in that department of horti¬ 
culture, had prepared me to be. The beautiful litho¬ 
graphic figures of fruits with which it is embellished, 
unlike any thing I have seen heretofore published in 
this country, add greatly to its value. I was also grati¬ 
fied in noticing, that it was styled No. 1; and that a 
promise was given, that a supplement would be pub¬ 
lished, at the close of each year. Accordingly, I sent 
to Boston in the course of last summer, expecting to 
obtain a No. 2, but learnt to my great disappointment, 
that no supplement had been published for the season 
of 1838, and the reason assigned by the bookseller was, 
that Mr. Sayres’ books had superseded Mr. Manning’s, 
or superseded the necessity of publishing the supple¬ 
ment; (fori had it second-handed.) I had indulged 
hopes, that Mr. Manning’s publications would in some 
measure answer in lieu of a Pomolocical Magazine, or 
a horticultural periodical, in which the description, 
modes of cultivation, uses, &c., and figures of the best 
fruits, and especially the new ones continually coming 
into estimation and cultivation, should form a promi¬ 
nent part. Such a publication I think the country much 
needs; and the greatly increased attention to the culti¬ 
vation of good fruit, would create a fair demand for. 
At present, I know of no such work, though there may 
be. If there is, I should be glad to be informed. I 
subscribed for the Horticultural Register, published at 
Boston, the first year of its publication, and for Hovey’s 
Gardener’s Magazine, the second year; and found much 
the greatest part of both of them, if I mistake not, de¬ 
voted to the cultivation of flowers ; and of the figures, 
with which one of them, only, was embellished, there 
was not a single instance of the representation of a 
fruit. I indulged the hope that Mr. Manning’s yearly 
publications, eminently skilled as he is known to be, on 
the subject of fruits, would supply this deficiency, until 
some more frequent periodical should be issued. Should 
this meet his eye, (as I trust it will,) he will learn that 
to one person, at least, and I trust to hundreds, and per¬ 
haps thousands of others, Mr. Sayres’ publications did 
supersede the want of his. I mean no disparagement 
to Mr. Sayres’ book. I have but just glanced at it, not 
read it; but I knew the reputation of Mr. Manning, 
and did not so well know that of Mr. Sayres, and I knew 
the value of Mr. Manning’s first book. May I be per¬ 
mitted to suggest lo you, that it might render the Culti¬ 
vator more acceptable to some persons, valuable as it 
already is, to insert more frequent notices of the month¬ 
ly periodicals on the subject of agriculture and horti¬ 
culture, somewhat in the manner of the newspaper no¬ 
tices of the literary periodicals. S. MOORE. 
Berlin, Ct. Jan. 20, 1840. 
Produce of Four Cows. 
Messrs. Gaylord &. Tucker —Having seen some 
statements in your paper of the products of cows, I 
herewith send you a statement of the product of four 
cows for the month of June last. They were mostly 
of the native breed, with a cross of the Levon, winter¬ 
ed in the common manner, and kept wholly on grass at 
the time, with plenty of water and shade. The first 
week, forty-six pounds — the second week, forty-six 
pounds—third week, forty-nine and four ounces ; the 
remaining nine days, sixty-three pounds and eight ounc¬ 
es ; making in all two hundred and four pounds and 
twelve ounces, after using what milk was necessary 
for two families of nine persons. 
NOAH BLAKSLEE. 
Perryville, Jan. 4, 1840. 
Patent Sausage Machine. 
Messrs. Editors —I have been gratified to discover 
i the columns of your valuable periodical, a note of Mr. 
I. W. Weathers, respecting a patent sausage machine 
f my invention, for which I feel very much obliged to him. 
ut as he failed to make any distinction in the price of 
lose with the stuffing apparatus, and those without, I 
:el it due to myself and the public to state that those 
itliout the stuffers, cost ten dollars, (the amount he an- 
exed,) while those with the stuffer appended, have an 
dditional charge of two dollars. Yours, 
New Market, Fa. Dec. 24, 1840. A. HENKEL; 
46 
Contents of this Number. 
Notices—Census of Agriculture in the U. S.—Working ) o~ 
and Training Oxen, . . . . . . ) 
Work for the Month 1 —The Garden Hot-Beds, . 38 
Inquiries, Correspondence,&c.—Kendall’s Rotary Pump'j 
■—Meadows, Pastures, &c.—Cocoonries—Cooking and | 
Steaming Apparatus—Carpenter’s Harvesting Ma- )39 
chine—-Gourd Seed Corn, Pheasants—Potatoes-— j 
Theshmg Machine—Windmills—Silk Notices, J 
Apaca Wool,.39 
Highland Agricultural Society—Breeding Sheep—Drain¬ 
ing—Manures—Economy of Fuel, . • . 40 
Large Litters of Pigs—Ice Houses—Making Pork—Mu- 4 
tual Insurance on Cows 1 —Green Vegetable Matter for / 41 
Manure—experiment with Wheat—New Silk Worms, j 
Items from our Note-Book, No. 3—Grass Seeds Cheva- ) ^ 
lier Barley—Bees—Sorrel. .... ( 
Tompkins Co. Agricultural and Horticultural Society, 42 
Proceedings of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, 43 
Proceedings of the N. Y. State Agricultural Conven¬ 
tion, ........ 
Importance of Water in stock yards, by C. N. Bement, 
Sore mouth in Sheep, by J. Burrows, 
Plan of Piggery, by A. B. Allen, .... 
Extirpation of Weeds, by D. T., .... 
Sugar Beet—Improved Harrow, by C. Wells, . . 
Farm Buildings, by Horace Wells, . . • 
Curing and Smoking Hams, by T. Robinson, 
Gypsum—Phosphate of Lime, by U. F. Doubleday, 
Expense and prophet of different Crops, by J. F. Os- j 
born, ........ ' 
Roads—Milking—Straw, by Thomas Traveller, 
Diseases of Sheep, by J. V. H. Clark, 
Rohan Potates, by C. N. Bement, . . . 
Advantages and Pleasures derived from a study of Na -] 
tural History, by Farmer C. 1 —•— . 
Experiment in Planting Potatoes, by Sherman Bassett, 
Cheap Sheds for Cattle—Cheap Gates, and other mat- j 
ters, by Solon Robinson, . . . . J 
Cankerworm—Manning’s Book of Fruits, by S. Moore, 
Produce of Four Cows, by Noah Blakslee, . • 
Pantent Sausage Machine, by A. Henkel, . . 
50 
51 
List of Cuts. 
Fig. 25. Training Oxen, 
“ 26. Hot-Beds, . . . 
“ 27. Forcing Pump, . 
“ 28-31. Plan of Piggery, . 
“ 32. Improved Harrow, . 
“ 32. Plan of Barn, &c. 
• « 
* • 
V -• 
• • 
38 
38 
47 
48 
49 
£9 
SPECIAL AGENTS. 
Albany —Wm.Thorburn, Seedsman, N. Market-st. gratuitous. 
Auburn —H. Ivison, Jr. Bookseller. 
Alexandria, D. C .—Bell & Entwistle, Booksellers. 
Boston —Hovey & Co. Merchant’s Row. 
Baltimore —Gideon B. Smith. 
Buffalo —H. Case, assistant p. m. gratuitous. 
Cortlandmlle —Henry S. Randall, gratuitous. 
Johnson’s Springs, Va .—E Valentine. 
Lansingburgh —Alexander Walsh, gratuitous. 
Lexington, Va .—Samuel M. Dold, Assist. P. M. 
New- York —Israel Post, Bookseller, S8 Bowery: A. Smith, 
Seedsman, and A. Wakeman, Office of Am. Institute, 
Broadway; G. C. Thorburn, John-street. 
Philadelphia —Judah Dobson, Bookseller, and D. Landreith, 
Seedsman. 
Quebec, L. C. —Dr. W. Marsden. 
Rochester —F. D. A. Foster, at old office of Genesee Farmer. 
Richmond, Va .—Richard Hill & Co. 
St. Louis, Mo .—John Thorburn, Seedsman. 
Toronto, U. C .—Eastwood & Skinner, and E. Leslie & 
Sons, Booksellers. 
[LpThe previous volumes—the first four at 50 cents each, 
and vols. 5 and 6, at $1.00 each—can be sent to new sub¬ 
scribers at newspaper postage, and they are also for sale by 
our agents in the principal cities. 
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