THE CULTIVATOR. 
113 
only live on milk, the fourth is the largest of the stomachs, 
(the rennet.) The paunch is not developed, nor takes its enor- 
• mous volume but in proportion as it receives fodder.” 
PEACH TREES. 
Some ten years past I came in possession of a number 
01 peach trees that had been good bearers, and arrived 
at the age of twenty years. In the course of each win¬ 
ter previous, a layer of straw or chip clung was strew¬ 
ed around each tree, upon a body of snow or while the 
ground was frozen. The object was to retain the frost 
as long as possible, to prevent the flow of sap; a slight 
freeze after the buds begin to swell will kill the twigs, 
and frequently the tree. 
Cleaning Window Blinds. 
Soap or strong soap suds will destroy green paint more 
readily than other colors; the lie has the same ef¬ 
fect on oil paints that it has with grease. I have seen 
many painted rooms soiled by the carelessness or igno¬ 
rance of wash-women, in the application of soap or strong 
soap water; when it does not destroy the paint, it may 
affect the luster. 
Painting. 
Spirits of turpentine is in most cases used in mixture 
with paints, because it facilitates the drying rapidly. 
It decomposes and destroys the vitality of the oil; it 
should never be used when durability and luster is re¬ 
quired. I have been in the practice of painting my out 
buildings with pure oil, mixed without boiling, and am 
satisfied that it is more durable ; the drying process is not 
so rapid, but the coat is harder and more adhesive, and 
less expensive- S. W. JEWETT. 
Weybridge, Vt. May 16, 1840. 
Experiment in Feeding the Sugar Beet. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I have now finished 
the feeding of some fifty tons of French Sugar Beet, and 
as a knowledge of the result of my experience may be 
interesting to others, I am induced to communicate it, 
should you think proper to give it a place, through the 
medium of your most interesting and instructive period¬ 
ical. 
From the decided fondness for this root by hogs, I 
was induced to believe it would make a very good arti¬ 
cle on which to feed and winter them. So I early pro¬ 
cured 22 hogs and pigs; five of them I put up the 17th 
of September, intending to fatten them, as far as prac¬ 
ticable, with beets exclusively. I washed and boiled the 
beets, and fed them profusely for two weeks. The hogs 
devoured them most ravenously, but on making a care¬ 
ful examination at the end of this time, to ascertain the 
progress I had made in fattening them, I learned to my 
surprise, that they evidently had gained nothing—one 
large sow put on an appearance so wo-begone, that I in¬ 
duced a charitable friend to take her oft’ my hands free 
gratis. I then added a peck of potatoes to a oushel of 
beets, boiled and fed them another two weeks, during 
which time an improvement had been made, but it was 
barely perceptible. I now boiled my beets and potatoes 
in equal quantities, and fed one month, during Avhich 
time they had improved, probably about as much as 
the potatoes would have improved them alone. I had 
now satisfied myself that the French Sugar Beet was 
not adapted to the purpose of making pork, so I stopped 
the use of it, and by substituting corn, I was induced at, 
the end of the year, to slaughter some of the poorest 
hogs I ever killed. This condition of my hogs, was 
readily explained, for I had lost two of the best months 
for fattening them. I had now 17 hogs left, including 
two beautiful Berkshires, of full blood, had from my 
friend of the Three Hills Farm. As I had provided lit¬ 
tle else than beets for their sustenance, and as I had de¬ 
termined to give the root a full trial, I continued to feed 
them, adding corn and bran as seemed indispensable, 
through the winter. This spring I have 14 left, having 
lost three during tire winter, all of which, except the 
two Berkshires, miserably poor. These Berkshires, 
Avithout, to my knorvledge, having fared better than the 
rest, have not apparently suffered at all, but are in fine 
condition. I attribute this in some measure to their do¬ 
mineering spirit, and to their greater industry, for they 
are intolerable monopolists, and in perpetual action. 
My cattle, including three milch cows, at the com¬ 
mencement of winter, were in very fine condition, and 
I concluded to give them a profusion of beets, and re¬ 
strict them otherwise to the use of corn fodder and 
straw. Up to the first of February, we had a flood of 
very rich and finely flavored milk, but the condition of 
my whole stock, was evidently a bad one ; and this 
spring I have a miserably lean stock of cattle. I calcu¬ 
lated to give each animal three pecks of beets per day, 
which was not often, if at all, neglected. To one cow, 
designed for slaughter, I fed some forty bushels of beets, 
in thirty days, and this, without making any perceptible 
improvement in the condition of the animal. 
As I was much disappointed in my results, I Avas led 
to inquire into the cause ; and a little consideration 
I think, seems to explain it. Starch, in some combina¬ 
tion or other, Avith other matter, seems to constitute the 
most abundant source from which animals derive their 
flesh ; those substances Avhich yield it most abundantly, 
being best adapted to fattening them. Rice, one of the 
most nutritious substances of the vegetable Avorld, yields 
85 per cent of starch; corn, Avhich is scarcely inferior 
to it in fattening qualities, gives 70 per cent, Avhilst po¬ 
tatoes, so well known and so highly appreciated, yield 
16 per cent, and when divested of their skin and mois¬ 
ture, give the surprising quantity of 51 per cent. As 
these substances give very little else than woody matter, 
it may be safely inferred that starch constitutes almost 
exclusively the basis of their nutritive properties. The 
French Sugar Beet gives 85 per cent of water, 10 per 
cent of sugar, and 5 per cent of woody matter and mu- 
cillage, and no starch. I will not pretend that sugar is 
destitute of nutritive povvers, but that substances abound¬ 
ing in starch will be found far superior to those contain¬ 
ing sugar only. The beet may have a salutary effect on 
the health of animals, and when a plenty of substantial 
food is fed with it, it may be productive of good effects. 
Its use, however, as an article of food for feeding ani¬ 
mals, must be restricted mostly to that of promoting a 
full flow of rich milk in cows, otherways in good order, 
and well fed. 
If the sugar beet should be much cultivated in this 
country, I suspect it Avill be for the purposes of distilla¬ 
tion. From many experiments, I am satisfied that Avith 
no other vegetable can an acre be cultivated, that Avill 
yield so much spirits. 
Much has been said about cultivating beets in this 
country, for the purpose of making sugar, particularly 
cultNating them in the western prairies. To any person 
contemplating an operation of this kind, I would suggest 
to him the probable, and perhaps the insuperable diffi¬ 
culty of obtaining, only in the immediate vicinity of 
large towns, such quantities of animal carbon, as would 
be absolutely necessary for its clarification. 
I Avish to add a few remarks on one or two other sub¬ 
jects, and you will use them as you please. 
Transplanting Grafted Fruit Trees. 
Which is the best season, spring or fall, in which to 
transplant grafted fruit trees ? In the fall of 1838, I 
bought of Judge Buel, at Albany, one hundred grafted 
fruit trees, apple, pear, and cherry. These were re¬ 
ceived in good time, and duly transplanted, about the last 
of October, in good soil. Nearly every tree lived from 
the place Avhere the scions had been inserted, doAvn- 
Avards ; but ninety-three of the grafts died, giving a Amry 
discouraging result. Had the trees been allowed to 
stand until spring, probably not one of the grafts would 
have died, and they might have been remoA r ed success¬ 
fully. The trees were small, and the connection be¬ 
tween the scion and stock had not been sufficiently ma¬ 
tured to enable the graft to sustain the double shock of 
removal and exposure to a hard winter. May not a 
useful rule be deduced from this example—that is, so 
long as good reason exists to believe, time enough has 
not been given to establish a Avell knit connection, be¬ 
tween the graft and stock, that grafted trees should not 
be transplanted in the fall ? An adherence to such a rule 
Avould have saved me the loss of some money, much 
trouble, and a galling disappointment. 
China Tree Corn. 
I I>lanted, last spring in Sackett’s Harbor, north lat. 
44. eighteen square rods of China Tree Corn, in an 
open exposure, on sandy loam—the green svvard Avell 
manured Avith long manure, and well torn to pieces. 
The groAVth was enormous, and when the first frost 
came, 5th of October, I estimated the product, and made 
it equal to 106 bushels per acre ; one half of Avhich, is 
good seed corn, the residue Avas excellent corn for boil¬ 
ing, and for early hog feed. I belieAm I am alone in 
this neighborhood, in my success, for 1 do not know of 
any one else Avho succeeded in ripening it. So great 
Avas the growth of stalk, and so abundant the product, 
that I am determined to plant at least one acre this 
year, believing that the value of the fodder and the 
value of the ears in milk alone, will give me a handsome 
profit. I think that hogs may be fed with the corn in 
the milk, and be made by it to thrive beyond what can 
be done Avith any other substance. Probably one month 
may be had for this purpose, before frost, and I will 
stand a chance of getting more good, sound corn, than 
from any other varieties. 
Mr. Thorburn has my thanks for introducing this ex¬ 
cellent article, and Avhen its merits and its demerits are 
Avell understood, I believe he will have the thanks of 
thousands of others, as a public benefactor. 
Most respectfully yours, 
SAMUEL GUTHRIE. 
Sacketts Harbor. N. Y. May 2, 1840. 
SOUTH DOWN SHEEP. 
Messrs. Editors —In perusing the useful and widely 
circulated paper, the Cultivator, I observed a letter to 
J. Buel, in the March number of 1839, Avhevein Mr. 
Wm. Ellman states, he doubts Avhetber the sheep im¬ 
ported into this country are pure blooded South Downs. 
For the last five years I have been an importer of pure 
blooded South DoAvns, and haA r e visited England every 
year, and selected from some of the most celebrated 
flocks in Sussex, and it is well known to men in Sussex, 
and others who visit that part of the country, Avho are 
judges of South Down sheep, that there are many gen¬ 
tlemen Avho have as pure and as good sheep as the Mr. 
Ellmans. Mr. Ellman says, his brothers defy all Eu¬ 
rope to show South Down sheep equal to them. If you 
Avill refer to the accounts of the great stock show at Ox¬ 
ford, last July, you will perceive that Mr. Ellman’s 
South DoAvn sheep did not stand even first or second 
there; the show of South Downs there was very fine 
from the flocks of Mr. Ellman, and others, and the pre¬ 
miums given for the best to some of Mr. Ellmans neigh¬ 
bors, not only proving their sheep to be equal but su¬ 
perior, and I defy either of the Mr. Ellmans to produce 
purer or better South Down sheep than those I have im¬ 
ported. 
You will perceive by a letter of Mr. Thomas Ellman, 
which I send you, that he has been often sending out 
South Down sheep to this country; I cannot think he 
would send impure sheep. 
In October last, I saw Mr. Wm. Ellman, in London, 
England; I questioned him respecting the letter to J. 
Buel, which appeared in the Cultivator, respecting 
South Down sheep ; he owned it to be his, with this re¬ 
mark, “ he must puff’ a little.’' 
Gentleman, I am sorry that any puffing should ap¬ 
pear in your useful work, to prejudice the minds of 
those who are not judges of those valuable sheep I 
am fully convinced, that there is no sheep so well adapt¬ 
ed for the American climate; as they are of a hardy con¬ 
stitution, they can endure the heat and cold better than 
any sheep I have evor seen ; I have kept a flock of them 
for some years. In England the South Downs stand 
preeminent, and I haA r e no doubt but they will here, 
when better known. 
I should have noticed Mr. E’s. letter before, but I Avas 
traveling through England, selecting stock for the wes¬ 
tern states, at "the time it appeared in the Cultivator,^ 
and I am much pleased to say, that I sent a number ot 
imported pure South Downs into the states of Tennes¬ 
see, Kentucky, Ohio and Illinois. 
Yours respectfully, JAMES BAGG. 
Montgomery, Orange co. May, 1840. 
IMPORTATION OF STOCK. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Having the subject of 
agriculture very much at heart, induces me to notice any 
particular that will tend to promote its improvement, which 
was my object in going to England to select some of the 
best stock I could find, and my judgment capable. Whe¬ 
ther I have succeeded in my undertaking, is a matter to be 
decided by good judges, to whom I will cheerfully submit 
my choice, for inspection and criticism; though I very 
much regret having lost my best ewe on the voyage ; fat¬ 
ness was the cause of her death. When opened, we found 
two fine ram lambs, within a few days of birth, and I may 
safely say her caul weighed twenty-five pounds. This ewe 
was shown at the Royal Agricultural Society, with her 
lamb, in July last, when most of the breeders exhibited, 
and all England entitled to do so by becoming members; 
she won the first prize. We have some of her descendants, 
with twenty-one ewes and three rams from the same flock. 
The breeder, Mr. Hewer, of Northleach, Gloucestershire, 
had a wether teg, killed at fifteen months old, that weighed 
43£ lbs. per quarter. It is as well to remark, that this sheep 
was weighed without the caul, which would have added 
full 25 lbs. more to the whole carcass; according to Ame¬ 
rican custom, Avould have weighed 199 lbs. This teg 
was fed on nothing else but hay and turneps, and it is my 
opinion they are more easily kept than any other breed, 
according to the weight they produce. 
The Messrs. Wm. & Joseph Hewer’s annual sale of 60 
shearhog rams, has averaged for the past ten years, from 
£15 15 s. to .£17 17s. 6 d. ($75 to $80,) each. One sheep 
sold last year, for £94 10s., and the purchaser refused 100 
guineas ($500,) the same day. This is proof positive of 
the value of this flock. 
It is my intention to go to. England again in the Great 
Western, on the 1st of July, to be at Messrs. Hewer’s ram 
sale ; and whoever wishes to procure one of these valuable 
animals, may be accommodated, by stating the kind they 
wish, and the highest price they will give in New-York, 
to Erastus Corning, Esq. of Albany, or writing to me at 
Mr. Wm. Hewer’s, Northleach, Gloucestershire, England, 
who has promised to sell me all his extra etves yearly. 
Of our cattle, I shall not say more than that they are 
of the Hereford breed, and from the same breeder, who 
agrees with me, that Herefords are decidedly the best and 
most profitable, when taken in the aggregate. The Smith- 
field show will acknowledge this, as the Herefords took the 
top prize against all others. 
Other instances are in their favor; the oxen are excel¬ 
lent workers, the best feeders, and when in market, fetch 
one half-penny per pound more than the Durhams, the fat 
and lean is so well interlarded. This assertion is backed 
by most of the London butchers, of whom I made inquiry, 
and I send you a letter for insertion, from Mr. Gurrier to 
me, one of the first salesmen in Loifdon, who presented 
me with an engraving of the prize ox in 1837, the pro¬ 
perty of Mr. John Thomas Smith, Portland, Lincolnshire. 
This ox obtained the first prize of 15 sovereigns, at the 
Rutland Agricultural Society’s show, at Oakham. Also, 
at Smithfield Club show, the first prize of 20 sovereigns, 
in class first. Age of this ox, four years and two months 
—weight 122 stone, 14 lbs. to the stone—bred by Mr. John 
Hewer of Hereford. It is my opinion that Herefords are 
better milkers than generally represented. It is not clear 
to me that they are inferior to the Short Horn or Durham. 
When our cows come to grass, I will endeavor to give the 
quantity ; appearances on the vessel are much in their fa¬ 
vor. I will not say more on this subject until avc have 
some for sale; these are intended for our own use. 
Should it meet the views of improving, intelligent, en¬ 
terprising farmers, such as know how to lay out their 
money judgmatically, we have no objection to enter into 
a trade with Mr. Hewer, to take the whole of his extra 
stock yearly, who says no other person shall have them 
for exportation. Any other breed of the first order, or any 
kind of animal England can produce, I will endeavor to 
procure, by the purchaser representing it to me, and the 
highest price he will give in New-York, or any kind of 
field or garden seeds. But I must admonish the purehas- 
