THE CULTIVATOR. 
19 
If the hog be small, a blanket will cover the whole. 
He may be rolled in it. 
If you pat tar in the boiling water, or sprinkle fine 
powdered rosin on the hog, before you cover him, which 
is better, it will take off the scurf, and his skin will be 
as clean, after scalding off the hair, as a lady’s hand. 
Now, is not this information alone worth the price of 
the Cultivator, to a farmer who fats the improved breed 
of hogs, which weigh from three to six hundred pounds ? 
A farmer who fattens such large hogs, will, I think, 
if he takes the Cultivator, and reads this mode of dress¬ 
ing them, acknowledge that he has reaped the value of 
the dollar paid for that useful paper. Women may clean 
the feet and head of the calf, in the same manner, if they 
please, and save much labor, which I know will be a 
boon to them, as they are more liberal and not advocates 
for extra labor. 
In my former communication, you said the whale sails 
with his tail. I wrote sculs with his tail, like as the 
boat is sculled by an oar over the stern, his tail being 
flat, like the oar. Respectfully, 
DAVID TOMLINSON. 
Schenectady, 2d Dec., 1839. 
The Root culture. 
Messrs. Gaylord and Tucker,-—As you are to ex 
tend your usefulness to the farming community, by 
uniting with the Cultivator, I am disposed to go with 
you with my views occasionally. While you have been 
going through with the nine volumes of the Farmer, I 
have received each number with expectations to be well 
compensated for the trifling expense. I have perused 
its pages with pleasure and no small profit. The cul¬ 
ture of roots has received considerable attention, but. the 
subject has but just begun. I am of the opinion that in 
all grain growing districts the root culture will be con¬ 
sidered second to no other crop, except wheat; not that 
roots will be turned to money as corn, barley and oats, 
but will aid the farmer to extend his wheat crop and in¬ 
crease his stock of cattle, sheep and hogs, and thereby 
increase the quantity of manure. With a good supply 
of manure, the root crop may be increased so that both 
sheep and hogs can be better carried through the winter 
on straw, chaff and roots, than on hay and grain, and at 
one half of the expense. Ruta baga for cattle, mangel 
wurtzel and sugar beet for sheep and hogs. Before we 
commence with roots, we must see if our soil is well 
adapted to roots. The turnep requires a sandy soil, but 
will make fair returns on a gravelly loam. Where clay, 
or clay loam, are the principal parts, turneps will not 
make good returns. The mangel wurtzel or sugar beet 
will do well on clay loam. Clover sod has been recom¬ 
mended for ruta baga. If it is free from other grasses it 
will do well; if made rich, twenty-five loads of manure 
to the acre has been recommended ; if it is short, unfer¬ 
mented stable manure it will do. In wheat gro wing dis¬ 
tricts, where straw is freely used in the stable and yard, 
forty or fifty loads to the acre will well pay in the in¬ 
creased size of the roots. The 20th of June has been 
recommended as the best time for sowing ruta baga ; 
for western New-York is too late. The dry and hot sun of 
July, gives the turnep fly a good chance to destroy the 
tenderplants. The first of June will give abetter crop. 
The average of seasons, if planted the middle of May, 
they will be less liable to be injured by the fly ; but in 
thus early planting they are more subject to run to neck 
and top, and are somewhat stringy, and not brittle and 
sweet as those planted the first of June. Some have 
raised their seed ; such seed runs more to neck and top, 
and the roots are more branchy. One pound of seed to 
the acre is as good as two. If the fly attacks them they 
will as soon destroy them when two pounds are sown as 
one. I have tried manuring in the drills and spreading 
the manure over the ground. When I have a good sup¬ 
ply of manure I prefer spreading. It is less labor and 
will do as well. As soon as the manure is spread, 
plow it under as smooth as possible ; then roll and har¬ 
row with a light fine-tooth harrow, till it is completely 
mellowed; then we are ready for the seed, which should 
be sown the same day; rows twenty-eight inches apart, 
with a drill that can be built for $2,50. I can sow as 
fast as I can walk. As soon as they are up so as to be 
followed in the row, they should be drest out by going 
through with the cultivator or shovel plow and hoe ; alt 
the second dressing, they should be thinned out so as to 
be one foot apart, and after that they will want but lit¬ 
tle attention, if the land is not weedy. Many neglect 
hoeing too long, and then it is a slow business, and the 
turneps become stinted, which is very injurious to them. 
Your obedient servant, 
RAWSON HARMON, Jr. 
Wheatland, Monroe Co. N. Y. Dec. 18, 1839. 
Dutch Method of Yoking Oxen. 
J. Buel, Esq.—Having a few days since received 
from your agent, Mr. C. H. Belcher, of Halifax, N. S. 
the New-York Cultivator, I am pleased to say it con¬ 
tains many valuable remarks, well worth the attention 
of the farmer. 
On the 137th page of the 5th vol , I saw a cut rep¬ 
resenting the Spanish or Dutch mode of gearing oxen. 
For some years past, I have been in the habit of usin? 
oxen more or less, yoked both in the English yoke with 
bows, and in the Dutch Yoke with straps, and now find 
the Dutch mode to be the best. This way of yoking, 
has the decided advantage over the English yoke; they 
are calculated to haul more, and they will back nearly as 
much as they will haul; and will travel with greater 
speed. Great care should be taken, in fitting the yoke to 
the head. And when the oxen are yoked, they stand as 
close as their horns will admit of, so as not to touch. 
Cattle yoked in this way can be worked in damp xvea- 
ther—whereas those in the English yoke are apt to get 
sore necks when used in damp or wet weather. Those 
who have been in the habit of using oxen yoked in the 
English yoke, will, on first using the Dutch yoke, de¬ 
spise it—but after a little practice, and the more they 
become acquainted with it, the better they will like it. 
I am quite sure those who give the Dutch or Spanish 
mode of yoking, a fair trial, will, in a short time, give 
it the preference. In this county, there are but few 
cattle worked any other way than by the horns. Oxen 
will often command a higher price yoked after the 
Dutch mode. They are well calculated for lumber¬ 
men. 
Nova-Scotia has hitherto been deemed a barren soil. 
The husbandman has been well paid for his labor for 
the last year; the soil on which we tread is endowed 
with a thousand capabilities of production, which re¬ 
quire only to be excited by our intelligence to yield the 
most ample return. It is not an uncommon yield for a 
wheat crop, to get 35 to 40 bushels wheat from an 
acre in the ordinary way in which our land is prepared. 
The district where I reside is situated about 30 miles 
from Liverpool, the market town for this county, where 
the farmer is enabled to realize a very good value for 
all kinds of produce he is able to spare off his farm, 
which I am pleased to say has increased for the last 
fifteen years ; and should the New-York Cultivator be 
more generally taken, and the precepts thereof more 
generally adopted, even in this cold country, the farmer 
would soon be enabled to take three hogs to market 
where he now takes but one. 
I am sir, yours respectfully, 
E. H. BURNABY. 
Brookfield, Queens Co., Nova Scotia, 4th Nov’r. 1839. 
Miner’s Pump.—[Fig. 8.] 
In the 2d volume and 12th number 
of the Cultivator, I took occasion to 
notice this very superior and cheap ar¬ 
ticle; a farther trial of one for four 
years, only confirms the very favorable 
opinion I then formed of them. I have 
now two in operation,—one in a cistern 
and the other in a well in my cattle 
yard, as much exposed as it possibly 
can be, and so far, as severe as the 
frost has been, no injury has been sus¬ 
tained, or its operation i-etarded. 
If I should judge from the number 
which I have seen in use, in Albany, 
Troy, and adjacent towns, I should 
think they were getting into general 
use, and superceding the old fashioned 
lumbersome common pump. Wherev¬ 
er I have seen them in operation, I 
have invariably inquired bow ibey 
liked them, and have always been an¬ 
swered in the affirmative. 
The cut represents the well pump, 
and as the Cultivator, containing my 
former notice of it, may not be in the 
hands of all the present subscribers, 
I have transcribed the description as 
there given. 
“This pump is intended to stand on 
the platform of the well or cistern, 
even with the surface of the ground ; 
the part exposed is beautifully turned 
and painted. About ten feet below 
the base, and above the working box, 
is a small metalic tube, which lets off 
the water and prevents it from freez¬ 
ing. It is very light and easily remov¬ 
ed ; the wearing or operating parts be¬ 
ing of cast iron, and the composition 
with which the wood pipe or tube is 
saturated, renders them durable, and 
obviates the evils so often charged on leaden pipes as 
injurious to health. 
“ The advantages of these pumps are : the very low 
price at which they are offered; their durability, per¬ 
fect operation, and protection against frost.” The 
joints are put together, by means of screws on the ends, 
one end inserted in the other. This renders the trans¬ 
portation safe. 
Since my former communication was published,I have 
been applied to, by letter, from several gentlemen from 
different sections, for farther information respecting its 
capacity ; the quantity of water it will discharge in a 
given time ; the distance they will lift water, and the 
price. To answer which, I applied to the manufactu¬ 
rer, H. Warren of Troy, for I had then only the cistern 
pump in use, who replied as follows : 
“These pumps discharge water about the same in 
quantity, for a given time, as a first rate one of the old 
wooden kind, but much easier. I never tried to ascer¬ 
tain more particularly as to time, quantity of water, &c. 
One man can pump, quite comfortably, with one of these, 
forty feet deep, and I do not care about selling them lon¬ 
ger than that; although I have sold them seventy-five 
feet long; but such pumps go too hard to suit me, espe¬ 
cially to send off. 
“ The price of well-pumps, delivered in Troy, with 
sixteen feet of pipe, below the platform, is $15: all over 
sixteen feet, 181 cents per foot will be added—if under 
sixteen feet, the same deducted. For cistern pumps, 
from eight to ten feet in length, $11; all over that, 181 
cents per foot. But for very long well-pumps, say from 
thirty to forty feet long, our prices are from two to five 
dollars additional to the above rates. 
“ I have no pumps, as yet, fitted up for operating in 
any other way than simply by hand.” 
Those gentlemen who are desirous of procuring a 
good, durable and cheap pump, not liable to get out of 
order, I would advise, by all means, to apply to H. War¬ 
ren, 437 River-street, Troy, N. Y. 
C. N. BEMENT. 
Three Hills Farm, January, 1840. 
Letter from Solon Robinson, Esq. 
Editors of the Cultivator : 
Doubts and fears came over my mind, on seeing 
the announcement of the death of that most useful, and 
one of the greatest friends of the agricultural communi¬ 
ty, the late editor of this paper. But could I be assur¬ 
ed of life until such time as my memory would be 
crowned with such honors as this nation have univer¬ 
sally poured out of sorrowing hearts upon his, I would 
ask no greater fame, or proud memorial for my chil¬ 
dren, than he has left for his. May the mantle of their 
father rest upon them, and may they be possessed of 
that father’s meekness to wear it becomingly. No doubt 
but it troubled his last moments, as to what should be 
the fate of his darling journal. Whether it would be 
able to sustain life when its heart was taken away, or 
whether it would follow him to that cold and silent 
tomb. How it must have brightened his mind at that 
dark hour, could he have forseen the present bright 
prospects, that are now dawning anew upon this paper. 
No step could have been taken by those into whose 
hands it fell, so well calculated to carry out the good in¬ 
tentions of its founder, as this one of uniting it with the 
Genesee Farmer. A consolidation of interest will cre¬ 
ate an expansion of usefulness. The business is ar¬ 
ranged so late, that perhaps many at a distance will not 
be able to become acquainted with the fact in time to 
partake of the benefits the present season, but I am 
sure that much good will come of the union. 
Enclosed I send you a list of names which I shall hold 
myself responsible for, though I have not had an oppor¬ 
tunity of seeing many of the persons. 
I wish those who are anxious to extend the circula¬ 
tion of the paper, would act a little more upon my re- 
commenation in the November No. Induce people to 
take the paper, money or no money—I will advance the 
money, and take my pay of subscribers in any thing 
that grows by cultivation. 
Friends of agricultural improvement, common schools 
and common sense, be up and doing—doing good—cause 
this paper to circulate—to be read—and those that read, 
must, will, shall improve. And upon your death bed 
you will remember with gratitude, the founder of this 
paper, and I hope also with ample reason therefor, the 
present editors, that they have been the means of not 
only increasing joar own happiness, but of enabling 
you to do so much good to so many of your fellow crea¬ 
tures. 
Let every subscriber who is able, take two papers, 
one to preserve and bind, and one on purpose to lend. 
Let them also be introduced into common schools. 
Gentlemen editors and proprietors, my best wishes 
are with you. Most respectfully, 
SOLON ROBINSON. 
Lake C. H. Ia. Dec. 14, 1839. 
Preserving Hams. 
Messrs. Editors —Various opinions are afloat in the 
world, respecting the best method for preserving hams 
for summer use. Every lover of ham, no doubt, has a 
way of his own. But as new inventions are every day 
coming out, I wish to give my opinion upon a plan for 
saving hams, that will keep them through the summer 
just as good and palatable as when first taken from the 
smoke-house. For the benefit of the readers of the Cul¬ 
tivator, I will give you the recipe for making the brine, 
and if any should think it worth trying, they will find it 
to be the best way in which hams can be preserved. 
8 gallons of w T ater, 
16 lbs. of salt, 
| gallon of molasses, 
i lb. of salt petre, 
and so on in proportion for a less or greater quantity 
as you may have to save. Hams preserved in this way? 
will keep through the summer, and I have known them 
to be kept till winter, and be perfectly good. About the 
first of March, (or sooner, if you please,) the hams 
should be taken out of the brine, and washed perfectly 
clean. Then prepare the smoke house for smoking 
them. Various opinions have been formed in regard to 
smoking hams. Some think a smoke-house ought to be 
perfectly tight, and others think the more open a smoke¬ 
house is, the better. I do not think the building that is 
intended for smoking meat should be tight. The hams 
are more liable to injury, and are not so good, as those 
that are smoked in an open building, where the air can 
have free access. The best material for making smoke 
to smoke hams, is corn cobs. They make the meal taste 
better, in my opinion, than any thing else we can pro¬ 
cure, though other materials are used, such as chips, 
wood, &c., but nothing is so good as cobs. About four 
weeks is long enough to smoke hams ; and if the smoke¬ 
house be a good one, the hamscan remain in it till warm 
weather. As soon as the warm xveather commences, 
the hams must be taken out; and if it is desired to keep 
them through the summer, they should be encased in 
small cotton sacks, which should afterwards be tho- 
