A CONSOLIDATION OF BUEL’S CULTIVATOR AND THE GENESEE FARMER 
_ “AGRICULTURE, AT ONCE THE CA USE AND EVIDENCE OF CIVILIZATION.” 
Cult. Yol. VII—No. 10. ALBANY, N. Y. OCTOBER, 1840. Cult, and Far. Vol. I—No. 10. 
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TM.M ©UTMIEYATOIEo 
WILLIS GAYLORD & LUTHER TUCKER, Editors. 
AMONG THE FARMERS—No. 2 . 
CENTRAL NEW-YORK-SKANEATELES. 
In no part of the United States perhaps, can there be 
found a district more capable of the highest state of im¬ 
proved agriculture, or better adapted to the introduction 
and display of c.orreet taste in rural embellishment, than 
the country of the Lakes in Central New-York, embrac¬ 
ing that beautiful chain reaching from the Oneida and 
Cazenovia, to the Conesus of the Genesee Valley. Lying 
immediately on, or but slightly elevated above the lime¬ 
stone zone that makes so distinguishing a feature in the 
Agricultural Geology of this State, the vicinity of these 
lakes offers to the agriculturist some of the best soils in the 
world, and to the man of leisure and taste, a choice of 
residences, which for purity of air and variety and beauty 
of landscape, can scarcely be rivalled. These advantages 
have not been overlooked or unappreciated ; and the tra¬ 
veler, as he views the rich and well cultivated fields, and 
respectable and comfortable dwellings, with here and there 
such as mark the abode of superior wealth and refinement, 
cannot but feel an emotion of surprise, when he learns or 
remembers, that all this is the work of only thirty or forty 
years. 
Skaneateles holds, deservedly we think, a high rank 
among this cluster of lakes, for the beauty and salubrity of 
its waters, and the general fertility of its shores, the north¬ 
ern part particularly. There is but little of the wild or 
the sublime in the landscape, but very much of the rich, 
quiet, and the beautiful; and the same remark will be true 
of the other lakes in the district. On the shores of the 
northern half of the lake, the pastures, meadows, plowed 
fields and woodlands, slope gently to the water’s edge, and 
in a still summer’s day, village, and cottage, and grove, 
and the green pastures with their flocks and herds, are mul¬ 
tiplied and reflected from its surface as from a mirror. 
Farther south, high hills press upon the lake; their steep 
sides clothed with evergreen woods, and giving to the deep 
dell in which the waters seem to be enclosed, new features 
and new beauties. 
To the eye of the farmer, however, the agricultural pros, 
pects and processes of any region, will form the principal 
point of attraction, and it was in this light we viewed it, 
as, a few weeks since, we had the pleasure of calling on 
some of our farming friends in that vicinity. 
The Crops _The grain crops had been cut and secured 
with the exception of perhaps a few pieces of oats ; and 
were good both in quality and quantity. The wheat crop 
could not be considered an extravagant one, but it was bet¬ 
ter than the last year’s, and the berry of superior quality. 
Instances of failure in this crop, had indeed occurred, but 
they were rare. The earliest ripened wheat had proved 
the best; while that which was late, or had been heavily 
manured directly for that crop, had suffered more or less 
from mildew. In the latter case, and this was particularly 
the case with spring wheat, the growth of straw was so 
great as to cause the crop to lodge before the filling of the 
kernel was complete, and consequently nearly destroy the 
grain. 
Wheat Culture. —The practice of early sowing is get¬ 
ting into favor with the Skaneateles farmers, as they think 
early sown grain resists the frosts of winter better than 
that which is later, and that by ripening somewhat earlier, 
it is also more secure against blight. Although it was in 
August, many farmers had completed their sowing, and 
great numbers of others we saw engaged in putting in 
their seed. For wheat, a thorough summer fallow is pre¬ 
ferred, as rendering the earth more friable, and cleaning it 
from foul stuff, so detrimental to crops. We observed one 
or two instances where a fine surface and seed bed was 
given, by turning over a clean smooth turf, rolling it level, 
and then harrowing the surface until it was sufficiently 
mellow and deep for seed, but without disturbing the clod 
in the least. In some cases, such a course may produce 
good wheat; but there is very little land sufficiently smooth 
and clean for this process, and it does not have the tenden¬ 
cy to deepen and fertilize the soil, which more thorough 
plowing does. The doctrine of transmutation of wheat 
into chess, has not many advocates among the enlightened 
farmers of Skaneateles; and as they pay considerable at¬ 
tention to their seed to free it from chess, as a consequence 
they are usually very little troubled with it. There are 
some, however, who have fears as to the effect of the bar¬ 
berry bush on wheat, not having entirely eradicated the 
ancient but unfounded prejudice, that the blight is caused 
by this bush. Quite a number of years since, a severe 
blight occurred very generally in Western New-York. At 
Skaneateles it was attributed to some barberry bushes in 
some of the gardens, and to quiet the public feeling, the 
trees were eradicated. The wheat crop ceased to be much 
affected in a year or two, and this fact had a tendency to 
confirm some farmers in their previous sentiments, and 
was adduced by the late Judge Bradley in his controversy 
with David Thomas on this subject, as proof that the bar¬ 
berry did cause blight. The inaccuracy of this supposition 
is best shown by the fact, that in those seasons the blight 
was very extensive in the western district, as it has been 
this year in northern Indiana and Illinois. We had, the 
same season in which the Skaneateles farmers suffer¬ 
ed so much, a field of fifteen acres ruined by blight, and 
there was not a barberry bush nearer than two miles. The 
cause is doubtless to be traced to some atmospheric agency, 
the nature of which has not yet been explained. 
Cattle. —The improvement of stock has evidently been 
a prominent object with the farmers of Skaneateles ; and 
by well directed persevering efforts, they have so far suc¬ 
ceeded as to have laid a broad foundation for the future. 
There are in the vicinity several fine Short Horns, and 
bulls and cows of the best breeds have been introduced by 
several public spirited farmers. The reputation of the 
Short Horns for milk, is here well sustained, and we think 
it doubtful whether any others can compete with them in 
this respect. Cattle, however, that take on flesh with the 
rapidity of the Short Horns, or yield such quantities of milk, 
cannot succeed well on such pastures, or winter fare, as our 
common breeds usually get. There is another error too, in¬ 
to which we think many farmers fall in their efforts to im¬ 
prove their stock, and we think the influence of this error 
can be traced to some extent about Skaneateles. A farm¬ 
er has a good cow of the common breed, and puts her to a 
full blood Short Horn. The calf is of course a good one, 
but the error consists in using such half bloods to breed 
from. Experience in England shows that this course is 
not a good one, and that such cattle speedily deteriorate. 
Constant recurrence to the original pure improved race, and 
judicious selection among the progeny, can alone insure 
improvement, where any cross or mixture of blood is per¬ 
mitted. 
Swine. —We should not imagine that as much attention 
had been paid to the breeding of swine as of cattle, near 
Skaneateles. Some good hogs were seen, but none that 
we thought would bear a comparison with some of the im¬ 
proved breeds that have been introduced into the country 
within a few years. There are few animals, in which the 
difference of profit between keeping good and poor ones, is 
more sensibly felt in the pockets of the farmer, than in 
swine; and we have no doubt they would greatly consult 
their interest by attention to this point. Let no farmer, 
however, imagine if he gets Short Horn cattle, Berkshire 
pigs, or Leicester sheep, that he is going to have fat beef, 
pork, or mutton, without good feed; if he should have 
such dreams, experience will soon awaken him. The 
question is, which will give the most profit from a given 
quantity of food ? Not, which will live without any ? 
Sheep. —The farmers in the vicinity of Skaneateles have 
large numbers of sheep, and the amount of wool produced 
in the town for sale or manufacture is great. Some of the 
best of the imported breeds of sheep, as the Leicester and 
South Down have been introduced, as being well adapted 
to the common farmer; but by far the greatest proportion 
of the flocks are grades of the Merino or Saxon. Some 
superior flocks of both these kinds, are to be seen at Skaneat¬ 
eles, and as our country as well as others must rely on 
these two varieties for their fine wools, it is desirable that 
attention should still be paid to preserving the breeds pure. 
The best kind of sheep for the small farmer, one who 
raises no more wool than is required for his own use, 
and uses some mutton, is, we think, not satisfactorily 
determined. It is necessary that hardiness should be 
united with wool of medium fineness, and flesh of good 
flavor, and whether any distinct breed is to be found b pos- 
sessing these qualities, or whether one is yet to be produ¬ 
ced by crossing, time must determine. Present appearan¬ 
ces would indicate that the South Down approaches to the 
point required for the ordinary farmer; and for the produc¬ 
tion of wool of the best quality, (the very finest excepted) we 
are disposed to think highly of the cross of the South Down 
and Saxony, recommended in the Cultivator, by H. S. 
Randall, Esq. Some farmers (we may mention the 
Messrs. Thorns) in the town of Skaneateles, own from 
1,000 to 2,000 each of Saxon and Merino, or grades of 
these. The present depressed state of the wool trade, is 
not very encouraging to the wool grower, but as that is 
one of the articles with which it is impossible to dispense, 
remunerating prices may always be reasonably anticipated. 
Roots.— As a natural consequence, in any distinct where 
an improved agriculture has made much progress, conside¬ 
rable attention is given to the culture of roots by the thrif¬ 
ty farmers of Skaneateles. We were told that not as 
much land had been sown with ruta baga this year as for¬ 
merly ; the impression prevailing to some extent, that our 
climate is not exactly adapted to the growth of that root, 
it sometimes suffering from the heat and dryness of our 
summers, and particularly so, on soils that are not of con¬ 
siderable depth. That the turnep flourishes best in a moist 
climate and moderate temperature is certain ; but we think 
when the soil is of the right kind, seasons of extraordinary 
dryness and heat excepted, this root may be profitably cul¬ 
tivated in this country. The sugar beet has by many been 
adopted, in room of the turnep, and that root, judging from 
some examples where both had been sown in the same field, 
will endure heat and drouth better than the ruta baga. 
We have heard many complaints the present season re¬ 
specting the failure of beet seed. In some cases the seed 
may have been bad, but we think the failures have oftener 
occurred from injudicious planting. Mr. Gaylord, who 
has a fine field of the carrot and sugar beet, informed us, 
that a considerable portion of his beet seed failed when 
sown without preparation, but when soaked before sowing, 
scarcely a single seed failed. Some have recommended 
to have boiling water poured over the beet seed ; but this 
would be a dangerous experiment; steeping in warm wa¬ 
ter is better, and no risk is incurred. We know of no seed, 
the locust excepted, in which the heat of boiling water is 
not more or less injurious. 
Farm Buildings.— Much attention has been paid by the 
Skaneateles farmers, to the arrangement and condition of 
their farm buildings. A house well finished and furnished, 
may be very comfortable and desirable, but does not of it¬ 
self furnish so sure a criterion of fanning prosperity and 
good taste in agricultural matters, as does the kind and 
state of the barns and other out houses. Much is depend¬ 
ing on the arrangement of the yards, wagon, and tool hou- 
ses, hog pens, and places for cooking and feeding food. 
The barn of Mr. Silas Gaylord, President of the Skaneat¬ 
eles Agricultural Society, is in many respects, one of the 
most convenient and well arranged buildings for the farm, 
we have ever seen. It is one hundred feet in length, and 
with its long ranges of stalls for feeding cattle, its stables, 
its dry capacious cellar for roots, its extensive underground 
divisions for cows, calves or sheep, during stormy weather, 
or in the spring of the year, and its well ventilated yards 
and sheds, show an attention to the safety and comfort of 
an extensive and valuable stock, as necessary as it is wor¬ 
thy of imitation. The “ let alone system,” or allowing 
animals to shirk for themselves at all seasons and in all 
weathers, does not seem to find many advocates about 
Skaneateles, although there are some farms still sadly de¬ 
ficient in the necessary buildings, and where the want ap¬ 
pears more apparent, from others being so well provided 
around them. In the construction and arrangement of the 
farm houses around the Lake, much good taste has been ex¬ 
hibited, and the exercise of this quality is becoming more 
and more apparent. For the ordinary farmer, very expen¬ 
sive, or very spacious buildings, are not required. They 
should be convenient and neat, rather than extravagant 
and showy ; but there are few places in the country that 
furnish more pleasant and delightful retreats for the man 
of wealth and leisure, than the vicinity of the lakes ; and 
in the construction of their villas, such men may consult 
their wants or their wealth. The neat cottages and splen¬ 
did dwellings that look out from their groves and or¬ 
chards and gardens on the beautiful lake, form not one of 
the least attractive features of the landscape. 
Fruit and Ornamental Trees.— Few districts can 
show more valuable orcharding, or finer fruit gardens, than 
the neighborhood of Skaneateles. The apple, pear, cherry, 
and quince, are abundant; grapes of the best varieties suit! 
ed to the location, are found in many gardens, and some 
very good specimens o r the peach are occasionally seen. 
The latter fruit, and the kindred kinds, do not, however, 
thrive as well as on the shores of the Ontario. A feature 
of the place which strikes the observer very agreeably, is 
the very general planting out of ornamental trees in the 
yards and by the road side. The tree which seems to ob¬ 
tain the preference, is the locust, which grows well and ra¬ 
pidly, and several large nurseries of which, are near the 
village. The useless poplar has mostly disappeared, and 
its place has been supplied by the locust, maple, or other 
trees of decided utility, and far more ornamental. The 
practice, and a very commendable one it is too, we think, 
ot filling up the vacancies in wood lots as they occur, with 
the locust, prevails to some extent, and the utility of this 
course, should the tree succeed as it now promises, will bp 
yearly more apparent. 
Manures.— The Flemish maxim, without clover no cat¬ 
tle ; without cattle no manure; without manure, no corn 
or wheat—is getting to be more generally understood and 
practiced upon than formerly. The propriety of using ma» 
