134 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
the same field ; but those that ripen unequally should be 
carefully kept separate. Some varieties of wheat may 
stand in the field longer than others before cutting, with¬ 
out danger of the seed shelling or wasting. Thus of 
the two kinds of flint wheat, the white and the Cana¬ 
dian, (the latter a comparatively new variety) if the 
last should be allowed to stand after arriving at maturi¬ 
ty as long as the first can be permitted with impunity to 
do, the loss by shelling would amount to no small por¬ 
tion of the crop. The first may stand almost to suit 
the convenience of the husbandman, while the last 
must be cut as soon as its maturity will admit, or cer¬ 
tain loss will be incurred; and nearly the same remarks 
will apply to some other kinds. There are some farm¬ 
ers who seem to think that any thing that is in the 
shape of wheat, however imperfect or defective the 
berry, if it will only grow, may be used as seed. This 
is very mistaken policy. It is impossible that the young 
plant should be as vigorous and as perfect, when spring¬ 
ing from defective and shrunken seed, as when growing 
from that in which the peculiar principles of the plant 
are fully developed, and the germination commences 
without check or hindrance. The seed that ripens first 
in the ear, and is separated with the greatest ease, is 
the most proper for seed, as these circumstances show 
it is the most mature. A farmer in one of the northern 
states, a few years since was in the habit of selling large 
quantities of seed wheat annually and at high prices, 
as his wheat was of a superior quality, very heavy, and 
productive, and supposed to be a new variety. It ap¬ 
peared, however, that he had brought his wheat to that 
degree of perfection, by selecting some of the finest 
ears from a field in the first place, and then instead of 
threshing the whole crop grown and using the seed pro¬ 
miscuously, he gently beat the sheaves over a barrel, 
by which only the best and ngost perfect grains were 
separated, and by repeated sowings had rendered the 
qualities so desirable permanent. The quantity of seed 
sown differs much in different parts of this country and 
in Europe. Perhaps the English use a greater amount 
of seed than any other people, and their crops are cer¬ 
tainly not often excelled. From two and a half to four 
bushels per acre are there used; while here the quanti¬ 
ty varies from one to two and a half bushels per acre. 
The general quantity is about a bushel and a half. 
Where wheat is sown late, more seed is required, as the 
wheat does not tiller or spread as much as when sown 
early; and when the berry is unusually plump and 
full, more is required than when the kernel is lighter. 
As on soils too, that are not rich, a single plant will not 
throw out as many stalks as where the land is very rich 
and fertile, it would seem that on such lands more seed 
wsuld be necessary to seed it properly; as it is clear 
that where but one or two stalks shoot from a root, these 
must be more numerous than when a root produces 
half a dozen. 
Opinions among farmers have been somewhat vari¬ 
ant on the subject of changing seed ; but we think un¬ 
less more pains is taken to originate and preserve good 
seed on a farm, than now usually is, there is essential 
benefit derived from such changes. Wheat is certain to 
succeed better on lands not naturally adapted to its pro¬ 
duction, when the seed is brought from a good wheat 
soil or district. For many years the farmers of large 
sections of the western district of New-York, where the 
wheat crop at that time was apt to fail or smut, found 
a profit in sending some twenty or forty miles to pro¬ 
cure seed from the best grain districts, and the crop from 
such wheat rarely failed in producing grain of good qua¬ 
lity. There is also a decided advantage secured in 
bringing seed from lower land and a milder climate, to 
elevated lands, or a cold moist climate. Such a change 
of seed renders the mountain crop earlier and better 
than it would be if seed from the same neighborhood 
was used. Professor Brown has on this subject the fol¬ 
lowing remarks, which are undoubtedly correct, as they 
are founded on the experience of husbandmen in the 
high and low lands of Scotland: 
“ We are convinced that the cultivator of a mountainous 
district, if he always used seed from his own crops, would 
reap later and later harvests, so that at last they would with 
difficulty be brought to maturity; a circumstance easily ex¬ 
plained by the comparative shortness of summers in moun¬ 
tain districts. If, on the other hand, the cultivator of a flat 
country, the climate of which is mild, and the soil dry and 
light, continually made use of his own seed, it would head 
every year sooner, the stalks would become shorter, and the 
heads and grain smaller and smaller, and in time there would 
result but a poor produce. In this last case, the cultivator 
brings his seed with advantage from a country or district more 
cokCthe soil of which is good and substantial.” 
The instances in which benefit has been derived, on 
what are called beech and maple lands, by using seed 
from oak lands, are so numerous that almost every one 
must be familiar with them. The advantages in this 
case, however we may choose to explain them, cannot 
with propriety be disputed. 
As to the time of sowing wheat, it may he remarked, 
that very early sown wheat gets more firmly rooted, than 
later sown, and in consequence is less liable to injury 
from freezing out. Wheat may be sown so late as not 
to germinate until the severity of the winter is past, or 
the greatest danger from frost is gone by ; but such late 
sown wheat is far more liable to the attacks of blight or 
rust than that which ripens early, or which is so far ad¬ 
vanced before the close, hot, showery weather, that 
marks the advent of blight commences, as to be safe 
from injury. On the other hand, late sown wheat is very 
certain to escape the Hessian fly, which in some parts 
of the country is the greatest enemy wheat has to en¬ 
counter. It would seem then, that where wheat is lia¬ 
ble to winterkill or blight, early sowing is to be prefer¬ 
red ; and that where the fly is prevalent, sowing should 
be delayed as long as possible. It may be added, that 
some experiments would seem to prove, that in districts 
where the wheat worm has been so fatal to spring wheat, 
very late sowing, by delaying the earing of the wheat 
until the period of the worm fly was passed, would pre¬ 
serve the crop. 
There is more wheat lost to the husbandman from the 
single cause of winterkilling, or freezing out of the 
ground in the winter or spring, than there is in this 
country from all other causes put together. The worst 
period is in the months of February or March, when the 
the ground is hare of snow, and thawing mild days are 
succeeded by sharp freezing nights. This freezing ex¬ 
pands the surface water, lifts the roots from their place 
a little at each time, and by successive freezing and 
thawing, leaves the plant without any hold upon the 
soil, and consequently to perish. Heavy soils are more 
apt to winterkill grain, than gravelly, or light ones, as 
these can retain little water. It would seem to be a ne¬ 
cessary inference, then, that thorough draining such soils 
as are apt to winterkill wheat, would prove a remedy, 
and theory and fact in this case are found to agree. We 
have lately had the pleasure of seeing beautiful fields 
of grain growing on lands, from which a few years since 
the production of wheat would have been impossible. 
Thorough draining had removed the water thatformerlv 
saturated the soil, and by freezing the surface, prevented 
the lifting out process that always accompanies the 
freezing of wet grounds. It is usually the case that 
such wet grounds contain a large supply of vegetable 
matter, and draining renders them so productive, that 
the profit of a single crop not unfrequently repays all 
the expense incurred in the improvement, leaving the 
land, which in its former state was nearly worthless, a 
clear gain to the husbandman. If on common farms 
the means of trench or thorough draining are not at 
hantl, surface drains made in such a manner as to carry 
oil’the water that falls on the land, should be construct¬ 
ed immediately after the sowing is completed. By pre¬ 
venting such water remaining in, and consolidating the 
land, grain is less liable to be thrown out; and though 
far less beneficial, or permanent in its effects, than tho¬ 
rough draining, surface drains should not be omitted 
where there is the least danger from excess of water. 
Cream Pot Cattle and Ten Hills Farm. 
One of the most attractive places to the agriculturist 
in the vicinity of Boston, is the Ten Hills Farm, occupied 
and managed by Col. S. Jacques, and owned by an associa¬ 
tion principally composed of rich merchants in Boston. 
The object of the association was to form a stock farm, 
and a company was formed of one hundred shares of 
three hundred dollars each, the property held in trust 
for the owners of the shares. On this money the pro¬ 
prietors receive from Col. Jacques five per cent annual¬ 
ly, or fifteen hundred dollars in the whole. It is a noble 
instance of private liberality, for the advancement of 
agriculture. How easily might such a pattern farm be 
established in any of our rich agricultural counties, if 
the same spirit of improvement was as operative in 
them as in Boston. On this farm Col. Jacques bred the 
celebrated merino ram which yielded 42 lbs. of wool at 
three shearings, an amount probably not equaled by 
that of any sheep in this country, merino or otherwise. 
But the most interesting object on the Ten Hills 
Farm is the breed of cattle, called by Col. Jacques, the 
Cream Pot Breed, and which for richness of milk are 
unrivaled. The origin of this stock, according to Mr. 
Coiman, was a fine native cow raised in Groton, Mas¬ 
sachusetts, but of her origin farther, nothing is known. 
She was sold to a gentleman near Boston, a dealer in milk, 
and so rich was her milk, that the movement necessa¬ 
ry in carrying it, frequently converted it into butter. Mr. 
Jacques procured this cow, and by crossing with the short 
horn bull Ccelebs, afterwards owned by Mr. Jacques, 
originated the breed which has since become so famous. 
Mr. Jacques a short time since informed Gov. Hill, 
that “ this celebrated bull, while in his possession, went to 
four hundred cows at ten dollars each; and on his 
head he received in cash thirty-eight hundred dollars.” 
Col. Jacques’ improvements have received the test of 
three generations, and he has now about forty cows and 
heifers, and ten or a dozen bulls and bull calves. The 
color of this scock is a rich deep red, one of the most 
beautiful and favorite colors, and of good form and pro¬ 
portions; and in the language of Mr. Coiman, “if 
they continue to display the extraordinary properties 
by which they are now distinguished, they promise to 
prove themselve for dairy purposes the most valuable 
race of animals ever known among us;” and in that of 
Gov. Hill, “ such an animal as the five months calf, at 
the price of one hundred dollars, for a breeder, would 
be capital well invested, if kept only for the use of a 
farm of a dozen cows.” 
Col. Jacques’ own account of the manner and object in 
his course of breeding, is as follows: “ It has been my 
object to effect such an improvement in milch cows, as 
should produce the greatest quantity of rich milk, af¬ 
fording the largest quantity of butter. There is a 
greater difference in a pecuniary point of view, be¬ 
tween a good and a poor cow, than among any other 
domestic animals. In some yards may be found those 
that will not produce more, than three pounds per week, 
and others that will make nine, and all on the same 
keep. As we sometimes hear of cows, which have 
produced seventeen pounds of butter per week, and 
even more, it occurred to me to inquire why a breed or 
race could not be formed with the same valuable pro¬ 
perties. This I have attempted ; and have carried it to 
the third generation, and I am confident of success. I 
have a cow whose milk has produced nine pounds of 
the best butter in three days; and this on grass feed 
only. This I call my cream pot breed." 
It is evident to us that Col. Jacques has adopted the 
true course in producing a valuable stock. He selected 
animals combining the qualities he desired to perpetu¬ 
ate in the greatest degree ; and in continuing his ope¬ 
rations, a selection only of such for breeding as evince 
the same properties, have been chosen by him. With 
this precaution, he cannot fail of success. The quali¬ 
ties that in the first instance may have been partially 
accidental, become constitutional and permanent, and 
we can sec no good reason Avhy the Cream Pot stock 
of Mr. Jacques should not become as celebrated as the 
short horns of Messrs. Collings or Berry, to which, in¬ 
deed, they are so nearly allied. 
BERKSHIRE FIG. 
We have the pleasure of acknowledging the safe ar¬ 
rival of a Berkshire Pig, a present to the editors of the 
Cultivator, from the superior stock of Mr. Lossing, of 
Albany. This pig is about eight weeks old, and is from 
the celebrated sow Maxima, by the imported boar since 
sold to Mr. Beach, of Ohio, for $200. A description of 
both may be found in Mr. Lossing’s paper on Berk- 
shires, and Nonpareil will doubtless do honor to his 
“ illustrious ancestry." It may seem absurd to some 
to talk of beauty in a pig, but if the most fastidious 
were to see the animal under notice, they would allow 
that he was beautiful; and Hogarth himself, with his 
line of curves which is the line of beauty, would have 
been driven to the same admission, as with the excep¬ 
tion of his short nose, there is not an angle about him. 
Some curious facts, showing the correctness of Mr. 
Berry’s statements relative to the breeding of short 
horns, (and they are equally applicable to other stock,) 
that breeding in and in generally in a short time causes 
the loss of the reproductive powers, have occurred in 
the history of the Berkshire pig in this country. We 
obtained, two years since, a pair of these pigs, well 
bred, from one of the earliest importations, and the6oa>‘ 
has proved perfectly impotent, none of the sows stinted 
to him, having ever produced a single pig. A similar 
result obtained in the case of a pair purchased by Mr. 
Marks of this county, with the exception that in his 
case, the sow has given no progeny. Such cases prove 
the necessity and advantage of the course so strongly 
recommended and practiced by Mr. Berry, in the case 
of cattle, and now adopted by the intelligent breeders 
of Berkshires, of a recurrence occasionally to pure blood 
animals of the original breed, in preventing the deterio¬ 
ration complained of. W. G. 
Otisco. August , 1840. 
LIGHTNING RODS FOR BARNS. 
No sooner is the harvest gathered, and the farmer’s 
barns well stored with hay and grain, than the newspa 
pers are constantly bringing ns accounts of their de¬ 
struction by lightning. Every year the loss sustained by 
the burning of barns by lightning, is far greater than 
that of dwelling houses, and more lives we believe are 
annually lost in them ; yet while houses are protected 
by conductors, or insured against fire, barns are left to 
take care of themselves. In a single storm that passed 
over the Delaware river near Trenton, a few weeks 
since, three barns were struck and destroyed ; 14 cows 
were lost in one, and the whole loss was several thou¬ 
sand dollars. None were protected, and on one only was 
there a trifling insurance. The reason why barns at 
such a season of the year are so frequently struck, is 
owing to the column of heated vapor that rises from the 
partially fermenting mass within, which vapor is one 
of the best of conductors for the electric matter of the 
cloud. After this vapor ceases to rise, barns are in no 
more danger than other buildings of equal elevation; 
and the necessity of protection, or insurance, arises from 
the fact that the greatest danger is at the precise time 
when the greatest value is accumulated in them. Com¬ 
mon prudence demands that protection by rods should 
be given, or insurance against such casualties effected. 
PLOWING PASTURES. 
Judge Hayes of Maine, says he is accustomed to use alter¬ 
nately his pastures for mowing fields, and his mowing fields 
for pastures; and finds a great advantage in this mode of 
treatment. He plows his pastures, even though he has no 
manure to apply to them ; inverting the sod, laying it com¬ 
pletely over, and then sowing grass seeds upon it. In this 
way the feed of his pastures is greatly improved, both in quan¬ 
tity and quality. In plowing pastures, when he has no ma¬ 
nure to apply to the soil he plows shallow; but, at any rate 
they should be occasionally plowed, and renewed with grass 
seeds .—Report in N. E. Farmer. 
Judge Hayes’ method is a good one; as every such 
plowing adds about 12 or 14 tons of vegetable matter in 
the grass, roots, &c. to the acre. We have known this 
method tried on meadows that were “ bound out,” or on 
which the valuable grasses had mostly run out, with 
good success. On these meadows, however, after turn¬ 
ing over, a dressing of manure was put on, and a crop 
of spring grain with the grass seeds put on. Where 
plowing cannot be performed conveniently, a thorough 
harrowing with a fine sharp toothed harrow, and new 
sowing with grass seeds will produce a good effect. 
