104 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
factures, and with little commerce with his distant neighbors. 
But without the cultivation of the earth, he is in all countries, 
a savage. Until he stops from the chase, and fi xes himself 
in some place, and seeks.a living from the earth, he is a roam¬ 
ing barbarian. When tillage begins, other arts follow. The 
farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization.” 
RECLAIMED MEADOWS. 
There are in all parts of our country more or less 
lands called swamps, bogs, or bog-meadows, as they may 
happen to be bare, or productive of a little worthless 
grass. Now such spots are usually the richest part of 
a farm, being points on which for ages the most valua¬ 
ble parts of the surrounding fields, the salts, manures, 
and fertile mold, have been centered, ana where they 
have been preserved as in close reservoirs ready to re¬ 
ward the hand and the labor that, directed by skill, should 
endeavor to turn them to account in the cultivation of 
land. 
One of the surest indications of an improved agricul¬ 
ture in this country, is the notices that frequently meet 
our eyes in the contemporary journals, as Avell as those 
furnished for the Cultivator, of the reclamation of these 
long neglected places, and their extreme productiveness 
when brought under cultivation. They are found not 
only to be reservoirs of the richest manures, requiring 
only to have the acidity which such wet places are sure 
to give the vegetable matter collected in them, correct¬ 
ed by lime, or fermentation, by mixture with other ma¬ 
nures, but by proper treatment, to be capable of giving 
crops of roots or grass of the most luxuriant kind. 
If it is desirable to convert the earth of these natural 
meadows into manure, the best method is to draw it in 
the summer or fall to the barn yard, which should be 
covered to the depth of at least a foot, with the trans¬ 
ported material. This will absorb tl^e liquid manure of 
the yards, be mixed by the feet of the animals, with the 
long manure made from waste stalks, hay, straw, &c. 
and in the spring, when wanted for the crops, will be 
found more valuable than barn yard manure usually is. 
If it is desired to cultivate the earth where it is, or 
convert the swamp into first rate tillable land, thorough 
draining in every part must be attended to, or nothing 
can be done to advantage. If made dry enough for the 
plow, let the surface be fully pulverized with that im¬ 
plement. If bogs or brush abound, they must be grub¬ 
bed and burned ; and a dressing of lime or ashes, or even 
mere common sand or gravel, will produce an excellent 
effect. The expense of reclaiming such lands is consi¬ 
derable at the outset, but if well performed, the first 
crop will usually pay for the 'improvement; the land 
will generally be doubled or trebled in value ; and not 
unfrequently a source of malaria and disease removed 
from a farm or neighborhood. The reports on reclaim¬ 
ed meadows in the Transactions of the Essex County 
Agricultural Society, show the importance of this im¬ 
provement most decisively, and the successful results 
should stimulate all who have such lands, to reclaim 
them without delay. 
THE HOP FEY., 
J. H. D. of Hamilton, wishes to learn whether we, or 
any of our correspondents, know of any preventive of 
the ravages of the hop fly, generally known to hop grow¬ 
ers as the green fly. For ourselves we can answer we 
do not, and though our experience in their growth has 
been limited, we have found no remedy of much or in¬ 
deed any avail, when once the plant was seriously at¬ 
tacked by this pest. If any of our correspondents or 
readers have been more fortunate, we shall be most hap¬ 
py to lay the information before the public. 
The green fly is a species of Aphis, peculiar to the 
hop, and is its most formidable enemy. Its rapidity of 
increase is not overrated by Mr. D., and is owing to the 
singular power possessed by this insect, in common with 
some others of the Aphis tribe, of being fertile through 
several generations; Reamur says six or eight, from a 
single parental impregnation. The young Aphis, too, 
of the earlier generations are nearly all females, and as 
only a short time is required to arrive at maturity, their 
increase, when they once establish themselves on a plant, 
is astonishing. Their position, too, on the under side 
of the leaf, renders them secure against any application 
that would not be fatal to the vegetation. In the hop 
districts of England the only plan that holds out a pros¬ 
pect of relief, is frequent examination of the fields dur¬ 
ing the time the Aphis usually makes its attack, and if 
discovered in its first colonization, the extirpation of the 
whole, vine and insect, is immediately performed. The 
work on the hop, published by the London Society, in 
describing the diseases of the plant, and the insects that 
prey upon it, says that when the fly first appears, “ ef¬ 
forts are continually made to check its progress and pre¬ 
vent the injury by burning heaps of damp straw, fern and 
other matters, during a day or two on the windward 
side of the grounds, together with sulphur and damag¬ 
ed tobacco, in order to fumigate the plants; a practice 
from which no harm can arise, for if it does not al¬ 
ways drive away or destroy the fly, the ashes spread 
will tend to destroy the insect larvae that may be in the 
ground.” 
Mr. Loudon, in his account of the hop and the green fly, 
says, “ This insect is ignorantly supposed to be produced 
by the prevalence of the northeasterly winds. Under 
such a state of the winds they rarely fail of covering the 
leaves, and propagate with such rapidity as frequently 
entirely to destroy tjhe crop; as when they have once 
obtained possession, they seldom or never leave them 
until the leaves are destroyed. This insert generally 
attacks the forwardest and most luxuriant hop vines. 
Their removal depends chiefly upon the wind changing 
to the south, and the setting in of more mild, warm and 
temperate weather.” Many fields, however, are so in¬ 
jured in a short time, as to be abandoned to their fate. 
So long as the hop is liable to insects and diseases for 
which no preventive is known, it will continue to be, as 
it has hitherto been, one of the most fluctuating and 
uncertain of crops, and of course one of the variable 
in prices. The discovery of a preventive of the attacks 
of the hop fly, would be a public benefit, as noxious ar¬ 
ticles are sometimes employed, when hops are scarce, 
to give to beer the bitter flavor only conferred in per¬ 
fection by the hop. 
YAEUABEE IMPORTED STOCK. 
One of the most important importations of cattle and 
sheep that has ever taken place in this country, has been 
made by the Hon. Erastus Corning of this city, and Wm. 
H. Sotham of Jefferson county. It consists, as will be seen 
by the list given in another part of this paper, of twelve 
cows, calves and heifers, and twenty-five sheep. The cat¬ 
tle are of the Hereford breed, from Herefordshire, and the 
very best animals that could be selected. The sheep are 
of large size, being the Cotswold cross with the Bakewell, 
and probably as fine animals of the kind as ever imported. 
No one can avoid being struck with the extraordinary size 
of the cows, their fine forms, and their muscular develop¬ 
ment, denoting strength and power, and showing the ba¬ 
sis of the reputation which the Herefords formerly had for 
working cattle, and now have for feeding. The expense 
of the importation was nearly eight thousand dollars. 
The attention of cattle breeders has, within a few years, 
been much directed in England to the improved Herefords, 
and principally in consequence of the numerous prizes 
which these cattle have taken at the great Cattle Shows 
of Smithfield, and lately at the Fairs of the English Agri¬ 
cultural Society. Although they have not, in general, 
reached the great weight of some of the Improved Dur- 
hams, yet the rapidity with which they take on flesh, the 
superior excellence of the beef, and their early maturity, 
render them great favorites with the English feeders, and 
the Michaelmas Fair of Hereford, is one of the finest shows 
of cattle in that kingdom. We copy the following from 
the Encyclopedia, published by the Society for the Diffu¬ 
sion of Useful Knowledge, vol. xii. article Herefordshire, 
as an accurate account of the general qualities of the breed: 
“ The prevalent breed of cattle is that for which this coun¬ 
ty is justly celebrated: their color is red, with white or mot¬ 
tled faces,'and frequently white along the back and about the 
legs. Good milkers are occasionally found among the cows, 
and it is possible that a race might be reared from this stock, 
that would be useful for the pail, but dairy farming is never 
practiced here, and the milk of the cows, which are kept only 
for breeding, is given to the calves. It was formerly the cus¬ 
tom to work the oxen at three or four years old, and to feed 
and send them to market at five ; but there is now a complete 
change of system. The oxen are no longer worked, but are 
commonly fed when they are two years old, and sent to mar¬ 
ket before they are three: their early maturity and the readi¬ 
ness with which they fatten, make them suited for this system 
of farming. Graziers from the south and the middle of Eng¬ 
land drive a large number of this popular stock from the He¬ 
reford Candlemas and October Fairs. The Hereford ox feeds 
more readily than the Devon, and in proportion to the quanti¬ 
ty of food consumed, lays on a greater weight of flesh than a 
Durham ox; the result of a trial of this kind may be seen at 
page 34 of Youatt’s ‘Cattle.’ That the flesh of the Here¬ 
fords is of a finer quality than the Durhams, is proved by the 
superior price per stone which it obtains in the Smithfield 
market.” 
Comparatively few of the Herefords have as yet been 
introduced into this country. Mr. Bement, of this city, 
has a bull and a cow of this breed, which are fine animals; 
the Hon. W. C. Rives, of Virginia, and the Hon. Henry 
Clay, of Kentucky, have made importations of these ani¬ 
mals, and they have been in their possession so long, that 
either of these gentlemen could speak fully of their value 
as compared with the Short Horns, in the points of feed¬ 
ing, milk and endurance of our climate; and we think at 
this time, when attention is turned to the subject, they would 
confer a great benefit on the American public, by stating 
the results of their experience, and their opinions with re¬ 
gard to these cattle. We need not say we should be happy 
to be the medium of presenting such history and opinions 
to the public. 
We have presented these remarks, in the hope of elicit¬ 
ing from some who are qualified for the task, a discussion 
of the comparative merits of the Herefords and the Short 
Horns ; and their adaptation to our country for the purpo¬ 
ses of feeding and the dairy. Both are valuable breeds; 
the question to be decided is, which, in all respects, is the 
most proper for us. 
New-Y ork State Agricultural Society. 
We give place with pleasure to the communication of 
“ Agricola Publicola." The few who attended the last 
meeting of the Society, convinced that some more active 
measures were necessary to give interest and animation to 
its meetings, and to enlarge its sphere of usefulness, were 
unanimously of the opinion, that autumnal meetings of the 
society should be held alternately in different sections of 
the state, and a resolution was passed, directing a semi¬ 
annual meeting of the society to be held the ensuing au¬ 
tumn, at such time and place as the Executive Committee 
should deem it expedient to select, in conjunction with the 
meeting of some of the county societies. We hope the 
officers of the State Society will take early and efficient 
means to jt y their resolution into effect. 
“IMPOSITIONS OF SEEDSMEN.” 
We have received from our friend, D. Fullerton, Esq. 
of Orange Co., a communication of considerable length, 
and commenting with much severity, on what he, in com¬ 
mon with many others, denominates the fraudulent prac¬ 
tice of many of those engaged in the business of seeds¬ 
men. As several papers, however, have appeared in our 
columns on this subject, some of them having reference 
to the particular items enumerated by him, our corres¬ 
pondent will pardon us, if we submit only the material 
part of his communication. 
To show the profits resulting from this business, Mr. 
F. submits the following table of articles purchased by 
him, at the prices annexed:— 
“ Skinless oats, 3s. per qt.$12 00 per bushel. 
Dutton corn, 2s. per pint,. 16 00 “ “ 
Rohan potatoes, 6 cts. each,.. 12 50 “ “ 
Millet seed,. 4 00 “ “ 
Pumpkin seeds, 3 cts. each,... 3 00 “ 100. 
Chinese tree corn, 2s. per ear, 64 00 “ bushel.” 
Of his experience with these costly articles, Mr. F. 
found his oats “ meatless, as well as skinless, smutted and 
shriveled ;” his Dutton corn he was pleased with, “ but 
has never been able to sell as high as the purchase 
price ;” his Rohans “ promise to be a valuable acquisi¬ 
tion,” and says, “ I think if I could retail them at the 
seedsman’s price, I could make a living by tilling the 
ground ;” of the pumpkin seeds, there is no complaint, 
so it is right to infer, that “ Yankee notion” did well; 
and the same of the millet; but the Chinese corn, that 
“ God-sendfrom the Celestial Empire,” proved, with Mr. 
Fullerton, as with thousands of others, the veriest “ take 
in” that can be well imagined. 
That, in some few instances, the conduct of seedsmen 
may have deserved the severest condemnation, cannot 
be denied ; and such cases should be held up to the pub¬ 
lic in their true light. The man who knowingly impo¬ 
ses a worthless article on the public, or which he knows 
is not the one the purchaser supposes it to be, and pos¬ 
sesses none of the qualities attributed to it, must expect 
the execration of every honest man. But the great body 
of a most useful and deserving class of citizens, should 
not be made responsible for the misdemeanors of a few; 
and justice demands that the difference between inten 
tional imposition and unintentional errors, should be re¬ 
cognized. A seedsman is the avenue through which a 
multitude of new things, plants, seeds, and implements, 
find their way from the first propagators or inventors, 
to the agricultural public. They cannot, in all cases, 
harm tested them themselves, and must of necessity, 
offer them on the recommendation of others. They 
may be valuable ; if so, the public is a great gainer, as 
in the case of the Dutton and Brown corns, the Rohan 
potatoes, &c., or they may be worthless to large parts 
of the country, as the Chinese corn and Skinless oats; 
but in this there is no imposition, unless the fact of their 
being different from what they are represented to be, is 
known to the vender. 
That the price of plants and of seeds on their first 
introduction, should be higher than afterwards, is what 
naturally must be expected. They are frequently pro¬ 
cured at great expense, on account of the recommenda¬ 
tions they have received, and must be sold at corres¬ 
ponding prices. Of their value for any particular pur¬ 
pose or location, the farmer is as good a judge as the 
seedsman, and one, and sometimes both, may fail in their 
estimate of the adaptation, or actual value, of a new 
seed or plant. The loss is, however, to the farmer usu¬ 
ally trifling, and unless there is evidence of wilful de¬ 
ception, such failures cannot in ordinary fairness be 
charged upon the seedsman. In the agricultural opera¬ 
tions of the day, the seedsman holds a most important 
station ; and while departures from rectitude, or indica¬ 
tions of dishonesty, should be visited with the severest 
reprehension, occasional mistakes, or errors of judg¬ 
ment, must be tolerated for the sake of the greater good 
conferred by these servants of the farmer. Our corres¬ 
pondent will accept our thanks for his kind wishes, and 
we assure him, we shall at all times be happy to hear 
from him on subjects of interest to the readers of the 
Cultivator. 
INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF WEEDS. 
The question has been asked, how it was possible for 
China and Japan, with the ordinary products of agricul¬ 
ture, to furnish bread for a population, equaling, accord¬ 
ing to the latest census, about 300 persons to a square 
mile. The answer is to be found in the care with which 
every foot of ground is cultivated; in the fact that few 
animals are kept, either for labor or food; and more 
perhaps than any thing else, in the entire freedom of 
the crops from every thing that can reduce their quanti¬ 
ty or quality. Not a weed of any kind is to be found in 
the fields, and the most positive enactments and most 
assiduous attentions are directed to keeping the country 
free from them. 
Few are aware how much weeds, or grasses, growing 
in a grain crop, detract from its value, by lessening the 
product. A vigorous root of charlock or thistle will 
draw from the earth the nutriment that would have giv¬ 
en fullness to half a dozen ears of wheat; and where 
these, or any other foreign substance is permitted in a 
growing crop, that is sure to suffer in proportion to the 
quantity of the foul material present. Weeds injure a 
crop in two ways ; by the room they occupy, to the ex¬ 
clusion of the valuable plants, and by the nutriment of 
which they rob the growing crop. We have seen fields 
in which the wheat maintained a. dubious struggle with 
the red root, charlock, or thistle ; and where the stem 
