106 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
and freshness. The principle of vitality, or life, is active in 
seeds as well as in plants, and the processes of organiza¬ 
tion going on, counterbalance the inherent tendencies to 
decay, when these principles are permitted to act. 
The facility with which seeds germinate is in a great 
measure depending on their age, when preserved as seeds 
usually are, exposed to atmospheric changes, and the ac¬ 
tion of causes that always more or less influence their vi¬ 
tality, or their substance. This fact should always be re¬ 
membered in making choice of seeds, as in most cases the 
fresher they are, the better, and some are wholly worthless 
after being kept beyond a certain term. Bridgman, in his 
Gardener, remarks on this subject, that parsnip, rhubarb, 
and other light scale-like seeds cannot be safely trusted after 
they are a year old; that peas, beans, carrot, onion, and 
small herb seeds generally may be used after two years; 
that spinach, mustard, parsley, lettuce, asparagus, may be 
preserved three years; that the seeds of the radish, turnep, 
cauliflower, cabbage and celery, will keep four years ; and 
that the cucumber, melon, squash, beet, and burnet seed, 
will sometimes grow freely when five and even seven years 
old. 
The fact that when properly preserved, seeds will retain 
the power of germination for great periods of time is singu¬ 
larly illustrated in the growth of plants from seeds found in 
the materials employed in the embalming process of the mum¬ 
mies of Thebes, and in those discovered in the burying pla¬ 
ces of the ancient Peruvians. Of those found in the first 
instance, a species of wheat, and also one of the raspberry, 
resembling well known varieties, have been produced from 
such seeds; and in the latter, of the maize or Indian corn 
so found, healthy and vigorous plants of corn have been 
grown. The first seeds were of the date of the Pharaohs, 
or more than 3,000 years old ; the latter, or corn, were pla¬ 
ced where they were found before the conquest of Peru by 
Cortes and his followers. 
The action exerted by the radicle or root, and the plu¬ 
mule, or leaf, of a seed during the germinating process, is 
one of the most singular parts of the vegetative powers of 
seeds. John Hunter placed a number of seeds in a vessel 
so contrived that during growth it might be made to re¬ 
volve very slowly ; the result was that in the effort to grow 
downward during the revolution, the roots formed them¬ 
selves into a circle within the earth of the vessel, while 
the top, in its efforts to an erect growth, performed a circle 
on the outside of the vessel, but of course in an opposite 
direction. Poiteau inferred from these and similar facts, 
that a polarization of each seed took place during the ger¬ 
minating process, the result of which was an electro-mag¬ 
netic current, followed in one direction by the atoms of mat¬ 
ter that go to constitute the radicle, and in the other by 
those that form the stem and leaf of the plant. So strong 
is this downward tendency of the radicle, that some seeds 
placed in water, or kept moistened on the top of mercury, 
forced their radicles into this substance, one so unsuitable 
for the ordinary purposes of vegetation. 
The germination of seeds is greatly influenced by the 
depth at which they are placed in the earth, and the fine¬ 
ness of the soil placed around them. The earths serve to 
retain the moisture required to cause vegetation ; and if the 
more modern theory of the primary agent in all growth, 
from the first incipient germination to the ripened seed, is 
true, they also act the same part that the plates of the vol- 
taic battery perform in producing the currents and the po¬ 
larization of the atoms, the arrangement and accumulation 
of which constitute growth. To produce the desired effect, 
the earths, must be fine, abounding in animal and vegetable 
matter, and brought by pressure in immediate contact with 
the seeds. Many seeds are injured, and the gfcrmination of 
some wholly prevented, by being covered too deep, or plant¬ 
ed In earth containing too much moisture. It is rare the 
earth is too dry for the germination of seeds, when the tem¬ 
perature is right; but the dilution of their food bv exces¬ 
sive moisture is fatal. 
DISEASE IN COWS. 
A correspondent at Oberlin, Ohio, says— 
“ I wish to make an inquiry concerning cows when they first 
come in, or calve. Our cows often sicken and die, in spite of 
medicines, and we are at a loss in accounting for the cause. * * 
I had a cow not long ago, which appeared to be doing well be¬ 
fore she calved; was soon afterwards in great pain, and 
seemed to be weak, and soon began to stagger as she walked; 
soon after, she sunk down and was unable to get up. Medi¬ 
cine did no good, and in eighteen hours she died. It seemed 
to be a plain case of fever, and is but a sample of many in¬ 
stances that have occurred in this region.” 
Our correspondent is right in regard to his supposition ; 
such cases belong to what veterinary surgeons call “ Drop¬ 
ping after calving,” or puerperal or milk fever. It is more 
apt to occur to cows that are fat or in good condition; and 
particularly such as come in late in the season. It has 
been remarked that cows attacked in the winter, oftener 
recover, than those that are sick in the summer, in equal 
condition. The disease is inflammatory, and if taken in 
season and treated as such, it is generally subdued without 
difficulty. The animal must be bled, and the quantity 
must depend on the impression produced on the circulation. 
From six to ten quarts is usually sufficient. The bowels 
must be opened with epsom salts; and a failure in this re¬ 
spect will indicate a fatal result. From one pound to one 
and a half of salts, according to the size of the beast, with 
aromatic ingredients, such as ginger, &c. is usually suffi- 
cict; and half the dose every six hours after, with a further 
supply of aromatics, until the desired effect is produced, 
The directions of Mr. Bainbridge, veterinarian, in the 
British work on “Cattle,” are as follows: 
“ The months of February and March, have always af¬ 
forded me more or less cases of dropping after calving. I 
immediately bleed to the amount of two gallons, and some¬ 
times more, and give a draft composed of epsom salts 1 lb., 
spirits of nitre 1-2 oz., and linseed oil 1 lb., in plenty of thin 
gruel. I also order from four to six ounces of salts to be given 
in gruel every six hours afterwards, some ginger being always 
honed with the gruel. If the animal is not relieved in 24 hours, 
and her state permits it, I bleed again, and repeat the salts, 
oil, &c. Out of six cases in the last two months, five perfect¬ 
ly recovered.” 
The puerperal fever among animals, as among the hu¬ 
man race, sometimes appears as an epidemic, and is at¬ 
tended with disastrous consequences. It is in all cases a 
disease to be dreaded, and few diseases require more prompt 
and energetic treatment. As it usually occurs to cows 
within a few days after calving, they should be frequently 
noticed, and if the symptoms that precede the disease, such 
as restlessness, lowing, nose dry and hot, tongue frequent¬ 
ly protruded, eyes wild and staring, and the udder swelled, 
inflamed, and the secretion of milk suspended, there is rea¬ 
son for apprehension, and if weakness or staggering occurs 
in the least, the case may be considered clear, and treated 
accordingly. 
Date Sown Wheat—Information Wanted. 
The opinion, it appears, from the English and Scotch 
agricultural works, is becoming general in Great Britain, 
that the later wheat can there be sown, the better. The 
practice has been partly forced upon them, or rendered ne¬ 
cessary by the sowing of wheat after turneps, and experi¬ 
ence shows that the system possesses several advantages. 
An eminent agriculturist states, that since he has adopted 
the practice of late sowing, he has never lost a crop from 
the fly, or what is of still more consequence, from freezing 
out, or winter killing. What would be the result of such a 
course of sowing here? Wheat sown so late in the fall 
that vegetation does not take place to any extent before 
freezing, could not be destroyed in the spring by the lifting 
of the roots that ensues from the spring freezing of heav¬ 
ing lands, and although later in ripening than wheat sown 
early in autumn, it would doubtless come to maturity as 
early as spring wheat. There are large sections of our 
country where the danger or liability to freeze out, consti¬ 
tutes the most serious obstacle to the culture of wheat; and 
as spring wheat may be said to succeed well on such sec¬ 
tions, a very important point would be gained, if by fall 
sowing as late as possible to get wheat into the ground, 
winter wheat, which is a more valuable crop, could be 
raised. We wish to obtain information on this point; and 
any farmer who has made experiments in late fall or win¬ 
ter sowing, and will communicate to us the result, with 
the time of sowing, kind of soil, &c., will very much 
oblige us, and perhaps confer on the public a benefit and 
a favor. 
Disease among Homed Cattle. 
For several years past an epidemic of a singular nature 
has prevailed to a greater or less extent on the continent of 
Europe, and has been gradually progressing westward; 
until at the present time its ravages are most extensive and 
alarming in England. Whether it will cross the Atlantic 
remains to be seen; but the experience we have had in 
other epidemics, both in man and brute, would seem to in¬ 
dicate that we shall not be exempt. It seems to be as true 
of. diseases as of empire, that westward they “ bend their 
way;” witness the cholera, which from the jungle at the 
mouth of the Ganges, has spread westwardly till it has 
made the circuit of the globe. 
Mr. Hill, veterinary surgeon, who has charge of Mr. 
Rhodes’ London Dairy of about 700 cows, has given, in the 
Veterinarian, some account of the disease as it appeared 
among those animals. In the first attack— 
“ The membrane of the whole of the mouth was in a state 
of inflammation and vesication. The tongue was involved, 
but the most extensive and annoying vesication was between 
the under lip and the gums. In some cases it extended over 
the whole muzzle to the nostrils. In the worst cases, the mem¬ 
brane of the tongue completely peeled off. Some of the ani¬ 
mals suffered so much, that they became furious.” 
In the progress of the epidemic, the feet were attacked 
in a manner much like that of the hoof ail, at times so 
prevalent in some parts of this country. Mr. Hill says:— 
“ The grievance now lay in the foot, and particularly in the 
cartilago-ligamentous substance that forms the heel. An en¬ 
largement appeared in that division of the foot, and at the 
separation between the heels; it was hot and tender; a vesi¬ 
cle followed filled with serum, and if not lanced it burst, and 
a serous fluid exuded. The after state of the case, and the 
other treatment depended on the opening of this vesicle; if 
the vesicle was opened in time, one dressing with the caustic, 
that will presently be named, was sufficient; but if that had 
been neglected, the fluid insinuated itself between the hoof 
and sensible laminae, and burst out at other parts of the coro¬ 
net, or the hoof dropped off.” * * * “ The dressing which 
was most useful,—which in fact never failed ultimately, and 
applied in time, arrested the disease at once,'—consisted of 
equal parts of muriatic acid and tincture of myrrh, applied by 
means of a brush or feather, the animal being kept in a dry 
yard or stable, and the foot kept from accidental moisture by 
a piece of cloth secured by strips of list.” 
Out of more than 500 attacked, not an animal was lost; 
and what still more likens the disease to our hoof ail, out 
of the whole number, six only had the disease in the fore 
feet. Mr. Hill remarks, that the commencement of the 
disease is hardly to be mistaken ; the pain the animal suf¬ 
fers is manifested by holding up and shaking the foot at¬ 
tacked. The digestive organs did not appear to be affect¬ 
ed, and the appetite remained good in most cases. Where 
the aid was not prompt, the hoofs and feet bones came off 
and the animals perished miserably. In many of the cows 
garget showed itself in the udders, accompanied with 
swelling, inflammation, and a great reduction in the quan¬ 
tity of the milk. The last Nos. of the Farmer’s Magazine 
announce the spread of the epidemic, over nearly the 
whole kingdom. 
The Horse—“ Spirit of the Times.” 
We thank our friend of thq Times for his suggestions, 
and will endeavor to profit by them. They are in accord¬ 
ance with our opinions and our intentions. The improve¬ 
ment of the Horse is an object of interest to all, particular¬ 
ly for the farm or the road ; and we are glad to perceive in 
various quarters, proof that the importance of substituting 
better blooded, and of course better animals, for the misera¬ 
ble caricatures of horses that disgrace too many of our 
farms and* roads, is beginning to be understood and acted 
upon. In the mean time we advise all who are engaged in 
efforts to improve this noble animal, as well as the lovers of 
field sports, to subscribe at once for the “ Spirit of the 
Times," and the “ American Turf Register.” Asa “Chro¬ 
nicle of the Turf, Field Sports, Literature, and the Stage,” 
the “ Spirit” is without a rival in the United States or else¬ 
where. The Editor, W. T. Porter, Esq., is an indefati¬ 
gable caterer in the fields of literature and the drama, and 
the ample pages of his extended sheet, enable him to grati¬ 
fy the taste of his readers in this respect abundantly. For 
fineness of paper, beauty of mechanical execution, general 
arrangement, and expensive embellishments, the Spirit is 
unequaled by any publication in this country. The large 
and splendid steel engravings which occasionally accom¬ 
pany it, are worth the subscription price. It is issued 
weekly, 12 large pages, quarto, at No. 1 Barclay-street, 
New-York, at $10 a year. 
The American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine, 
so long published by the able editor of the American Far¬ 
mer, Baltimore, J. S. Skinner, Esq., is now issued from 
the office of the Spirit of the Times, by Mr. Porter. It is 
published monthly, 64 pages octavo, each number embel¬ 
lished with one or more elegant steel engravings, at $5 per 
annum. 
Implements for Analysing Soils., 
“ A Subscriber,” who has asked “ where the implements 
required for the purpose of analysing the soil can be found ?’* 
is informed that such as are necessary for ordinary analy¬ 
sis, or determining the quantity of the several earths and 
vegetable matter existing, may be found almost anywhere, 
comprising only a crucible, scales, acids, glasses for wash¬ 
ing and separation, &c. If a perfectly accurate analysis 
is required, the chemist’s laboratory and the chemist’s 
knowledge will be requisite. Every farmer might easily 
analyse his soils, and should be provided with the means 
of so doing. Such a course of experiments would be use¬ 
ful in the cultivation of the soil, and a source of pleasure 
to the operator. See “ Analysis," page 25. 
SPECIMENS OF SILK. 
The specimens of colored and white sewing silk, sent us 
by Mr.Wiu. Prine, of Stillwater, made from the white mul¬ 
berry, show, as have multitudes of other experiments, that 
there is no mystery about silk making, and nothing to pre¬ 
vent our farmers from growing it. The time we trust is 
not far distant, when the cultivation of silk will become a 
part of the rural economy of every good farmer. The in¬ 
quiries of Mr. P. shall be attended to in due time. 
We have also a beautiful specimen of silk from the co¬ 
coonery of R. S. Hardwick, Esq. of Sparta, Ga. Mr. 
H. says—“This is our first effort. Our first crop, say 
120,000, has all wound up—our second crop of about 500,- 
000, is now half advanced, and we expect to raise a third 
crop. We have suceeded so far with our worms admira¬ 
bly well. All that we lack, is the necessary machinery to 
prepare the silk for market, to make the business profita¬ 
ble.” 
Transplanting Evergreens. 
“A Young Farmer” is informed that evergreens may 
be transplanted with safety at any time when “ the plant 
is in a state of actual growth.” The last of May and the 
middle of September are probably the best times. Judge 
Buel was successful in transplanting pines in July. The 
plants should be taken up with as much earth attached to 
the roots as possible. 
GREAT CALVES. 
We have collected from various sources the following 
notices, which, more conclusively than any thing else, will 
show the size of the Short Horns. This great size of the 
progeny, however, renders.the crossing with the “scrubs” 
or common breed of cows, somewhat dangerous; as in a 
single neighborhood we have known two instances in 
which cows crossed with a Durham, died during parturi¬ 
tion. 
Good. —Mr. G. V. Sacket of Seneca-Falls, is the owner 
of a Durham calf, which when four hours old, was care¬ 
fully weighed by a number of gentlemen, and found to 
weigh 110 pounds. 
Very Good.— Mr. B. Simmons, of Madison, has a calf 
which weighed when two days old 122 pounds. 
Still Better.— (We do not say the best, because we 
might be obliged to recall it.) Dr. J. Miller, of Truxton, 
has a calf of the Short Horn Durham, which, when one 
day old, weighed 132£ pounds, and on the second day 136 
pounds. 
Yearling Durham Bull. —Mr. George Geddes, of 
Camillus, has a Short Horn bull, which in April last, at the 
age of one year, weighed 900 pounds. 
