THE CULTIVATOR. 
127 
leaf, will excrete through the skin of the leaves, after 
purifying their juices, enough to drive insects from the 
surface—so, if it could be presented in a liquid state, 
with the manure in solution, to the roots of the tree, it 
would, I apprehend, at least in a limited degree, be ta¬ 
ken up through that medium, and tend to the same re¬ 
sult—the hole in the tree being only an artificial mode 
of administering with certainly the requisite supply. 
So, sulphur, administered to a human being, will of¬ 
ten excrete sufficient to give a sulphurous smell to the 
skin, and perspiration will often saturate in like man¬ 
ner, even the clothing which covers it. But if salt be 
put in the hole of the tree in excess, though in a small 
quantity, it will, as it dissolves from the moisture of the 
sap, be circulated through the tree, and effectually de¬ 
stroy, both above and under ground, every root and 
branch through which it is circulated. 
It has often been considered astonishing that the small 
quantity of plaster, or of lime, ordinarily applied in 
agriculture, should produce the results which evidently 
flow from them. Eut if we assent to the position, that 
their action is medicinal upon the juices of the plant, 
we cease to wonder ; because we find a spoonful of sul¬ 
phur enough to affect medicinally all the juices, the 
blood, and the flesh in the system of an animal weigh¬ 
ing several hundreds weight. 
The relative quantities of lime, salt or plaster to 
manure, are as disproportioned to each other, as medi¬ 
cine is to aliment, in either plant or animal. 
Plaster is said very generally to be, and I believe it 
is, inoperative within the saline humidity of the ocean. 
It is so, as I apprehend, for the same reason that lime is 
inoperative within a limestone region—-because the 
former regions are atmospherically supplied with the 
sulphur, and the muriate of soda (or sea salt,) or their 
equivalent in the requisite quantity for vegetable growth. 
Sir Humphrey Davy says, “ In examining the ashes 
of sain-foin, clover and rye grass, I found that they af¬ 
forded considerable quantities of gypsum; and the rea¬ 
son why it is not generally efficacious, is probably be¬ 
cause that most cultivated soils contain it in sufficient 
quantity for the use of the grasses. In the common 
course of cultivation, gypsum is furnished in the ma¬ 
nure, for it is contained in stable dung, and in the dung 
of cattle fed on grass, and it is not taken up in corn 
(grain) crops, or crops of peas, and beans, and in small 
quantities in turnep crops ; but where lands are exclu¬ 
sively devoted to pasturage or hay, it will be continually 
consumed.” 
So where plaster is not used, manure is more exten¬ 
sively employed, and in that, some of the requisite sul¬ 
phur is supplied. 
Again, Sir Humphrey says, “ seeds sown by way of 
experiment, in nothing but sulphur, have produced 
healthy plants, and many soils which nature has im¬ 
pregnated with sulphur, are highly fertile.” 
As an evi lenee of this, see the environs of Mount 
Vesuvius and its vineyards, with the delicious wines, 
particularly that irreverently called the “ Lachrymse 
Christi,” so much esteemed and sought after by those 
who visit the mount. 
Sulphur, therefore, would almost seem never to be in 
excess—(though this, for reasons I may give hereafter, 
I feel inclined to doubt.) 
Deane says, (title Plaster,) “It is possible, that the 
sulphuric acid contained in gypsum, may give that sub¬ 
stance its principal value, and it would be well to expe¬ 
riment on the efficacy of sulphuric and other mineral 
acids, by applying them in a very diluted state, as a ma¬ 
nure to plants, and likewise to mix them with composts 
in such proportions as may be most likely to ascertain 
their fertilizing properties, if any such exist.” 
Gypsum contains little else than sulphur and lime, 
and the small portion of plaster used, as compared with 
lime, shows, that the lime in that compound, relatively 
can have but a trifling action. 
Deane, in continuation, says, “ It has been affirmed 
that gypsum is not useful as a manure in the vicinity of 
the sea,” and he there stops, without adverting to what 
he says in another part of his Avork, of the agricultural 
effects of sea water —“This fluid” he says, “ contains, 
besides Avater, and particles of common salt, according 
to Dr. Russell’s account, sulphur , nitre and oil.” 
Sea Aveeds, I apprehend, on analysis, Avould be found 
to haA r e imbibed from sea Avater much of its sulphu¬ 
ric influence. But if Ave suppose sulphur at all to ex¬ 
ist in sea Avater, and Ave advert to the very limited quan¬ 
tity Avhich suffices for vegetable effects, may Ave not 
suppose lands within the reach of marine fogs, deAvs 
and vapors, in the lapse of ages, to be sufficiently sup¬ 
plied atmospherically, to make additional or artificial 
supplies unnecessary to vegetation ; more especially if 
it be true that a plant inhales atmospherically much 
(some say even nine-tenths) of its nutriment. 
Here too, it Avould be Avellto become assured that the 
mere saline humidity of the ocean does not offer in salt 
itself, a substitute for the effects of plaster. Any per¬ 
son, avIio for the first time A'isits the sea shore, will of¬ 
ten be made sensibly aware of the atmospheric salt pre¬ 
vailing around him, by tasting it perceptibly upon his 
lips. Besides, too, is it not true, (and I am assured it 
is, by experienced medical men,) that cutaneous diseas¬ 
es, Avhich find an antidote in sulphur, are not as preva¬ 
lent. in saline humidity, as in parts more retired from 
oceanic influences. 
But for the present, to conclude, if we consider the 
effects of these aids to manure as medicinal merely, we 
have at once a conclusive reason why manures are not on¬ 
ly requisite, but indispensable to the soil, in connection 
with them, because the plant cannot support life on them 
alone, more than the animal or human being, neither 
being in itself, or by any compound of which they are 
capable, in any degree alimentary or nutritive. 
I Avould here offer some further observations on the 
effects of sea Avater, soda, kelp, barilla, ashes, potash, 
charcoal, magnesia and metallic oxide, but I fear I have 
already trespassed on your columns. 
These are, nevertheless, subjects on Avhich my mind 
is in a train of reflection, and I offer them in the hope 
that Aviser heads may do them better justice. 
In your March number of the present volume, page 
39, a Virginian correspondent desires you to remind me 
of the concluding paragraph to my communication of 
the 18th January, 1839. (Vol. 6, page 19.) 
The heading of that article Avas editorial. Had I 
written it, I should have prefaced it “Barn-yard ma¬ 
nagement.” The promise Avas proposed by me, rather 
as to that, as the principal subject, than as to turf as a 
branch of it, or of the theory Avhich forms the subject 
of this communication. I would cheerfully satisfy your¬ 
self, or your correspondent on any point of inquiry 
connected Avith the agricultural use of that material 
if so desired, by letter. Agricultural experience, ob- 
servntion or knoAvledge, in my view, is common property, 
and I Avould be, I hope, the last to Avithhold from my 
lelloAV laborers in the harvest, the mite which I may 
contribute to extend its usefulness. 
Before Avriting the article in question, I exhibited my 
use of the turf to our lamented friend, Judge Buel, on 
one of his cherished visits to my residence. I shoAved 
him its influence on ev r ery product of my garden, which 
covers about tAvo acres, and in my field crops. I yet 
continue its use, as there suggested, Avith the exception 
only, of burning it for ashes, which I do not do, only 
because it is, in my mind, a Avaste of a Amluable mate¬ 
rial, Avhich can be made more extensively useful where 
the supply is not absolutely unlimited. My field crops, 
of every description, and my garden yet as then, “ tell 
the truth about it,” and exhibit high luxuriance in every 
department. 
I have freely given of it, a load at a time, to my neigh¬ 
bors for essay, and to induce them to practice the use 
of it, on the sole condition that they Avould put it by the 
side of their best manure, and tell me the comparative 
results. Their reports havui, without exception, been 
to me, that it was fully equal, if not superior. 
The most profitable use I make of it, is through the 
aid of fish ; of which, in May or June, I bury one load 
to 12or 15 of turf—remaining for decay, and to overcome 
in contact with the putrescence of the fish, the antiscep¬ 
tic properties of the turf, until the ensuing spring, 
when the thermometer is likely to range abov r e the spon¬ 
taneous decay of the fish and turf, and greater heat may 
aid or lead on its fermentation, say 65 or 70 J of Fahren¬ 
heit, it is then broken finely over, carefully intermixed, 
and a stick put in it to gh'e notice of the state of the in¬ 
ternal fermentation of the heap. The whole then 
soon comes into a heat as activ r e as the best of horse 
manure, and I find it quite as much in danger of “fire 
fanging,” as that, if not properly watched and turned, 
to check its first heat Avhen inclined to rise above 100 J . 
The fish but slightly contributes in itself to this heat. 
It is mainly the vegetable matter, of Avhich the turf is 
entirely composed ; the antisceptic properties of which 
thus overcome, it becomes quite as well heated and pre¬ 
pared for decay and aqueous solution, as the vegetable 
fibre of hay, as partially digested by the stomach of 
the horse. 
Fish as a manure, in the concentrated form in which 
it is generally used, in my vieAv, is ultimately prejudi¬ 
cial to land, and its use should be otherAvise under¬ 
stood. But, properly applied, it is the most powerful, 
ready, and appropriate, particularly for the wheat and 
grain crops, of any of the manures in common use. 
Respectfully, gentlemen, your obedient servant, 
W. A. SEELY. 
Wheat Sheaf Farm, Staten Island, July 4, 1840. 
Rittenhouse’s Machine for Cleaning CloA r er Seed. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —In your November 
number, 1839, page 181, Francis H. Gordon wishes to 
know something about the clover machine that I use. 
I Avill now endeavor to ansAver his inquiries as far as 
my knoAvledge extends, in the use of Rittenhouse & 
Co.’s machine. I will take up Mr. Gordon’s questions 
as he puts them. 
1. What amount of seed the machine will clean per 
day? 
The one that I have used for four winters, for clean¬ 
ing clover seed, will clean from tAvo to twelve bushels 
per day. I am noAv haA r ing it altered so that it will 
take more hands and more power, as it does not Woav 
out the chaff at the time of cleaning, as it did before I 
increased the motion. So you will be obliged to clean 
the seed from the chaff after it is hulled with a fanning 
mill. There are some in this vicinity that liaA^e hulled 
thirty bushels in one day, although the fanning mill se¬ 
parated only tAventy bushels the same day. 
2. Is it worked by horse or human poAver ? 
It is Avorked Avith horse poAver, the same that is used 
to thrash grain, or it can be attached to Avater poAver, 
although I prefer the thrashing horse poAver, as they 
can be easily moved from one barn to another, and 
one machine will ansAver for a toAvn, and it is easier 
moA-ing a machine than cloA r er chaff far. 
3. How many hands are required to attend it? 
It has only taken tAvo hands to use the one I have 
Avorked—one to attend the machine, the other to drive the 
team. As I have my machine altered, it will take two 
extra hands to clean the chaff through the fanning mill, 
at the same time you are cleaning the seed. It makes 
quick work. 
4. Does it get out all the seed from the chaff? 
It will get out all the seed that is fair and plump. 
There is a great deal of clover seed that is shrunk, oc¬ 
casioned by drouth, insects and frost, in this vicinity, 
that cannot be hulled by any machine with profit; as 
the fanning mill is in motion at the same time with 
the machine, all the chaff that falls near the fanning 
mill, is run through the machine again and again, until 
it is all out that will make merchantable seed. There 
is considerable seed, that is called with us tailings, 
that is almost ahvays kept by the raiser for his own use. 
I had about ten bushels of these tailings in the spring 
of 1838, from fifty bushels of seed. It Avas owing to 
frost and the clover seed worm ; the worms had eaten 
up one-third of my crop ; some of the grains half, some 
more eaten up. So this and the shrunk seed made up 
so great a quantity of tailings. I sold some at half 
price to one of my neighbors, Avho told me that it pro¬ 
duced as line a piece of clover last summer as he ever 
raised. My opinion is, that there is no machine that 
Avill take all the seed from the chaff. You cannot have 
much tailings by thrashing or hulling it out with horses, 
as this kind of seed always gets bloAved out vv-ith the 
fanning mill. I ahvays sow my chaff'after I get all the 
seed out that I can, as there will be considerable to 
come up. I have often cleaned seed Avhere the employer 
has not thought it worth soAving, but I ahvays sow my 
own chaff'. These machines get it out cleaner than any 
other I ev r er saAV. 
5. What is its Aveight ? How large, or what space 
does it occupy ? 
The machine is about the size of the common fanning 
mill. I havm never Aveighed one of them. Tavo men 
can move them about the barn floor. I should think 
they Avould Aveigh between three and four hundred. 
They consist of a concave and cylinder, similar to that 
of a thi-ashing machine—cylinder thirty inches long, 
covered with hoop iron, with teeth stamped on, similar 
to a rasp—concave two-fifths around cylinder, covered 
with same materials; teeth set in opposite directions. 
It is the motion that hulls the chaff'. The cylinder is 
eighteen to twenty-two inches diameter; motion about 
the same as a thrashing machine, and takes about as 
much horse power ; can be used with strap or rod. 
6. Can a common farmer keep it in order, or does it 
require a workman ? 
There is not much machinery about it. The only 
thing that requires much workmanship is the preparing 
the hoop iron, and the hardening the same. After the 
hoop is prepared and hardened, any person can make 
one that has ever made thrashing machines, or other 
machinery ;—they require to be made A r ery true in the 
cylinder and concave: there is a small fan under the 
fore part of the concave, like that of a fanning mill, 
that blows out the chaff' from the machine ; the wind is 
thrown up in the same manner as the fanning mill, 
by a small strap on the end of the cylinder, to the 
whirr on the fan or shaft. 
7. Can one be had in Philadelphia, Baltimore, cr 
NeAA^-York city, and to whom should I apply? 
The patentee lives at Albion, Orleans county, ]\ T evA r - 
York, who would prepare the hoop for any place. The 
machines are made by Halburt & Blaine, at Waterloo, 
Seneca county, N. Y., who have the right for that and 
some other counties. The machines are also made at 
Trumansburgh, Tompkins county, N. Y., by Grant & 
King. Persons wishing a machine, could be accommo¬ 
dated by addressing Izi V. Blackwell, Albion, Orleans 
county, N. Y. 
I would here say a few words to Mr. Gordon and 
others, who are in the habit of getting out clover seed 
by trampling it Avith horses on the barn floor. It is a 
tedious job for man and beast, for I taA r e tried it to my 
own satisfaction. It is like the plan recommended to 
increase our manure by hauling sods, washings of high¬ 
ways, and other matter into the yards for manure. It 
may do in Europe, or Avhere land is very high, and la¬ 
bor cheap, but I think it is a sIoav way of manuring 
one’s farm, Avhere they can make clover grow; for I 
conceive that I can enrich my farm cheaper by clover 
than I can hav-e my manure drawn from my yards eighty 
rods to the fields—so that hauling in and out would be 
like thrashing clover with horses, tedious work. Since 
I have had my clover machine in this vicinity, the crop 
of seed, as well as clover for hay or pasture, has in¬ 
creased beyond all expectations, as almost every farmer 
has more or less seed of his own raising to sow and to 
spare; and instead of sowing it as if it was gold dust, 
they sow it by the handful, as they think it does not 
cost much to raise it, and they can have it cleaned for 
21 to 23 cents per bushel, at their barns. 
Brother Farmers—Some one of you \ T enture, as I-did, 
to buy a machine, and see how soon your neighbors 
will hav r e plenty of business for the machine in w-inter, 
while your AAdieat thrasher is lyin'* idle. Then you will 
soon see your neighbors enriching their farms with that 
valuable manure, (clover,) and you will soon see their 
barns filled and new ones built to hold the hay and 
grain. You won’t see but few of the barren, sunburnt 
fields that are intended for summer fallows, but you 
Avill see the clover fresh and green. So when you are 
plowing your falloAvs, you need not go half a mile to 
turn your teams out at noon or evening, but strip off 
the harness or yoke, and let your teams go in your 
summer falloAV, in clover up to their eyes. Try it, 
