THE CULTIVATOR. 
KSfcffliiMH 
DICTIONARY OF TERMS 
USED IN 
Agriculture and its Kindred Sciences* 
CULTURE. The process by which the soil is prepa¬ 
red, the seed sown, and the plant brought to maturity, 
is denominated culture. The preparation ol' the soil, 
and the sowing of the seeds, are usually called the pre¬ 
vious culture; that care and attention which follows the 
springing of the plant, is known as after culture. In 
this country no after culture is given to wheat, while in 
Europe it frequently receives the same careful after cul¬ 
ture of weeding and hoeing, that is here given to corn 
and potatoes. It is probable that an increased attention 
to the culture of wheat will become necessary here, as 
the natural fertility of the soil decreases, and the weeds 
that multiply under an improvident system of agricul¬ 
ture, gain a more extensive and permanent foothold in 
our soils. 
CURCULIO. This is a numerous class of insects be¬ 
longing to the coleopterous class, (or bugs,) and in va¬ 
rious ways, are a severe annoyance to farmers. They 
prey on grain, on plants, and on fruit, though it is on 
the first and the last that they most usually fall under 
our notice. The weevil, Curculio graniarius, that at 
times produces such frightful ravages in our storehouses, 
and which in some countries renders the preservation 
of grain for any time impossible, is perhaps one of the 
most injurious. This insect is of a pitchy red color, 
only about two lines in length, and when it obtains ac¬ 
cess to a granary, pierces the kernels with a borer, in 
which an egg is deposited. This is soon hatched, and 
becomes a small white, soft worm, which preys on the 
inside of the kernel, and in time becomes a perfect in¬ 
sect. ready to propagate its species and perpetuate mis¬ 
chief, as long as grain can be found in which todeposite 
the egg. Degur, the celebrated entomologist, says that 
a few hundred weevils admitted to a granary, would, in 
the course of four or five months, destroy between one 
and two hundred millions of grains. But a single hole 
is made in a kernel, and but one egg deposited in each. 
Barley is a favorite grain with the curculio; and small 
heaps of this placed in granaries, and occasionally re¬ 
moved or subjected to boiling water, are used in some 
places, as decoys for the insect, and to prevent their set¬ 
tling on the wheat. Another kind of the curculio at¬ 
tacks fruit, particularly plums and cherries. A kind of 
half moon incision is made in the young fruit by a for¬ 
ceps-like instrument, and under the flap so lifted, an egg 
is deposited, which speedily becomes a little worm and 
feeds on the juices and pulp of the fruit. A little at¬ 
tention to the trees, about a week or fortnight after the 
setting of the fruit, will usually save much of it from 
their attacks. The curculio during the day lies con¬ 
cealed in the top of the tree, and a sudden and violent 
jar will dislodge many of them. By spreading cloths 
on the ground under the trees, the falling curculios are 
caught, and may be destroyed. The fruit that contains 
the grub, falls to the ground, the worm takes refuge in 
the earth, and in the spring emerges the perfect insect, 
ready to renew its operations on the young fruit. 
Where swine can come to the trees, they will destroy 
the worm as it fails in the fruit, and thus render an 
essential service to the fruit grower. The pea hug is 
another species of the curculio, and commits great de¬ 
vastations on this valuable plant. The better way to 
prevent this insect, is to never sow seed under two years 
old, as in this case the perfect insect has emerged, and 
will not be at hand to commence operations on the young 
pea vine or pod. 
CURRANT. This is the fruit of a well known shrub, 
sometimes found wild, but generally cultivated in gar¬ 
dens. There are red, white, and black varieties, and 
the utility of these fruits in domestic economy is well 
understood. The fruit of the black is much prized for 
its medicinal qualities, while that of the red and white 
is preferred for wine, syrups, and jelly. The white cur¬ 
rant, in its largest varieties, when fully ripe, is partially 
transparent, and is a beautiful and delicious fruit. With 
white sugar, it makes a colorless wine of line flavor and 
keeping well. In cultivating the currant, the best me¬ 
thod is to take shoots of one or two years growth, and 
before inserting them into the earth as cuttings, to care¬ 
fully cut out with a sharp knife all the buds below, and 
lor a few inches above the surface of the ground; in this 
way the bushes have a tree form, and the fruit will be 
far better, than if grown in the close bushy shrubbery 
where it is usually cultivated. What are called A ante 
currants, and may be purchased at the shops, are not 
properly currants, but small kinds of grapes, dried for 
sale. 
DAIRY. Establishments devoted to the preservation 
of milk, to the making of butter and cheese, are called 
dairies; and farms on which cows are kept for these 
purposes, are called dairy farms. If the milk furnish¬ 
ed is made into cheese, it is called a cheese dairy; if 
into butter, it is called a butter dairy, etc. Dairies for 
furnishing milk for use, are principally found in the vi¬ 
cinity of large cities, and some very large ones are found 
near all cities of note, in this or other countries. It is 
supposed that not less than 30,000 cows are kept for 
the supply of London with milk, and dairies of from 50 
to 300 cows may be found in the neighborhood of our 
principal cities. Such cows are kept in stables, and 
too frequently fed on materials that render the milk 
given of an inferior quality, if not positively injurious. 
None but pure sweet pastures can furnish cows with a 
food, enabling them to supply the best milk, and it is 
certain there is not more difference between chalk and 
Avater, and the usual milk provided in cities, than there 
is between the last and that produced by those fed in the 
rich clover pastures of the country. The dairy busi¬ 
ness is a healthy and profitable one, not perhaps giving 
returns so great and quick as grain growing, but requi¬ 
ring less labor of an expensive kind, causing very little 
loss in the wear and tear of implements, and improving 
instead of exhausting a farm, as grain growing is apt to 
do. As to the breed of coavs the most suitable for the 
dairy, it would seem as if public opinion abroad as well 
as in this country, is much divided on the subject. 
Some prefer the Ayrshire, some the Hereford, some the 
Devon, and others the Durham or Short Horns. The 
truth is, there is no breed uniformly good for the dairy, 
and great milking qualities have never been fixed in any 
kind of cattle, as has size and propensity to fatten early, 
in that of the Short Horn. Good coavs may be found in 
all the breeds and crosses, and many of our native cows 
have exhibited dairy qualities rarely rivalled, if equalled, 
by the best of the improved breeds. Mr. Coiman’s Re¬ 
port on the Agriculture of Berkshire, Mass. Avill sIioav 
this. The best dairies in all countries are made of se¬ 
lected cows, and the neater and better they are kept, the 
greater Avill be the profits of the dairy. In every thing 
connected Avith the management of such an establish¬ 
ment, from the feeding of the cows to the delivery of 
the milk, butter or cheese in market, the most scrupu¬ 
lous neatness and order should be observed, or the pro¬ 
ducts Avill be proportionably injured, and their value 
lessened. 
DAISY. This plant, particularly the variety knoAvn 
as the Chrysanthemum leucanthemum. of the botanist, 
oxeye or Avhiteweed of the farmer, is one of the great¬ 
est pests where it is permitted to get possession of the 
soil. It grows so thick as to preclude the appearance 
of the grasses, or exterminate them if they already ex¬ 
ist. Thorough cultivation is the only remedy Avhere 
they are present, but the farmer will find if he destroys 
the plant effectually on its first appearance, even if re¬ 
quiring considerable labor, that the time and exertion 
are Avell expended. This plant is readily knoAvn by its 
white blossom, and by its unfortunate prevalence. 
There is another plant called the yellow daisy by some, 
by others buttercup or crowfoot, very common in Avet 
meadoAvs; but this plant is a species of Ranunculus, not 
a daisy. It is, hoAvever, of no \ r alue, and if its growth 
and spread is not checked, it injures the other grasses 
materially. Some have supposed that the crowioot 
when made into hay, if eaten to any extent by cattle or 
sheep, induced disease among them. 
DAMPS. Carbonic gas being heaA r ier than common 
air, has a tendency to accumulate in all Ioav places, 
such as mines, pits, Avells, cisterns, &c., and in situa¬ 
tions favorable to its formation, is sometimes found in 
such quantities as to be instantly fatal to animals. This 
air or gas is known by the name of damp or choke-damp. 
The Grotto del Cano at Naples, and the valley of the 
celebrated Upas tree of Java, are instances of the fatal 
effects of accumulated carbonic gas. Where this gas ex¬ 
ists in injurious quantities, it extinguishes flame, hence 
we are fortunately provided with the means of ascer¬ 
taining its presence; and no one should venture a de¬ 
scent into any of the places named without first loAver- 
ing a candie or lamp. Carbonic gas is generated in 
large quantities in the vats of cider distilleries, where a 
small quantity of the liquor remains for any time; or in 
brewers’ Amts, in which the acetous fermentation is al¬ 
lowed. Numerous deaths occur yearly from the opera¬ 
tion of this gas, ami farmers and others, Avho are par¬ 
ticularly exposed in clearing Avells, should always take 
proper precautions. There is another kind of damp 
called the fire-damp. This is found in coal mines al¬ 
most exclusively, and is a mixture of carburetted hydro¬ 
gen and atmospheric air, constituting a very inflamma¬ 
ble body, and exploding Avith great violence Avhen pla¬ 
ced in contact with the flame of a candle. One of the 
greatest triumphs of science avrs the discovery of the 
safety lamp of Sir H. Davy. Previous to the invention 
of this lamp, the most frightful accidents from explo¬ 
sion Avere ol' common occurrence in the coal mines of 
England ; now they are unknown. 
DECOMPOSITION. This is a term employed in che¬ 
mistry to denote the resolution cf a compound substance 
into its constituent parts. In ag multure if. is princi¬ 
pally used to signify the process by which animal and 
vegetable bodies pass into a state that renders them ser¬ 
viceable as food for plants. During life, the elements 
of organic bodies, whether animal or vegetable, are held 
together by vital affinities, under the influence of which 
they were at first united. When life ceases, these ele¬ 
ments become subject to other laws, those that govern 
inert matter. The original affinities that were suspend¬ 
ed during the vital organization, again operate, other 
combinations are formed, and the organized structure 
passes to decay. The rapidity and extent of decompo¬ 
sition are in a great measure depending on the circum¬ 
stances under Avhich the process takes place. Substan¬ 
ces kept perfectly dry and at certain temperatures, de¬ 
compose very slowly, or not at all. Moisture, unequal 
temperature, or the presence of certain agents, aid the 
process materially. It is by decomposition that all ma¬ 
nures are formed, and it is by regulating, aiding and 
combining the action of different substances, that the 
most valuable of composts and fertilizing powders are 
prepared. To preserve plants, timber and A’egetables 
from premature decomposition, lias occasioned much 
research, and though in some cases successful, there are 
others in which all efforts to arrest the original laAYg jjf 
action have proved unavailing. 
155 
DEGRADATION is that process by which unorgan¬ 
ized bodies are reduced to their primitive elements, 
and is to them, Avhat decomposition is to vitally or¬ 
ganized ones. Plains are composed by the degrada¬ 
tion of hills and mountains, and soils by the degrada¬ 
tion of coarser and harder materials. Of course a knoAA r - 
ledge of the elevated regions of any country, enables 
the geologist to foretell the character of the plains; and 
an examination of the soil of the plains unfolds the na¬ 
ture of the mountain ranges above. 
DEW. The Avater Avhich is deposited from the atmos¬ 
phere upon the surface cf the earth, is called deAA r , and 
is always most plentiful Avhen the nights are calm and 
serene, and the sky cloudless. Winds or clouds pre¬ 
vent the formation of dew ; and if the surface of the 
earth is beloAv 32 J , the deAv as it falls is converted into 
frost. The formation of dew depends on the radiation 
of heat, and the radiating surface is always cooled be- 
Ioav the surrounding atmosphere, before the deposition 
of deAv takes place upon it,. All circumstances that fa- 
\ r or radiation favor also the deposition of deAv, and any 
cause that prevents the radiation of calorie, or inter¬ 
cepts its escape, prevents its formation. Glass as radi¬ 
ating freely, is covered Avith dew sooner than most other 
substances, and gravel is sooner moistened than grass, 
though owing to absorption the apparent quantity is not 
so great on the first as on the last. The quantity of 
dew deposited is also in some degree depending on the 
quantity of v r apor in the air. Thus every one is aware 
that on some summer days, of equal temperature Avith 
others, and with Avater of the same degree, tumblers 
filled with it, will exhibit a much more copious deposite 
ou the outside, than they will on others. This is a 
proof that the air is filled with vapor, and is one of the 
most certain signs of approaching rain. DeAv acts an 
important part in the processes of agriculture, and in 
the nutrition and groAvth of plants. Large quantities of 
the most active agents escape from the earth during th« : 
processes of decomposition and evaporization in the 
shape of gases, and these combined Avith the aqueous 
vapor are deposited Avith the deAv on the earth or on the 
plants, and in either case are a\ r ailable to nutrition. 
Hence the advantage of frequently stirring the earth, 
and keeping the surface in a pulverized and absorbing 
state. In some parts of the Avorld it rarely rains, but 
the deAvs are so copious, that vegetation does not seem 
to suffer from want of Avater. Spreading a substance, 
no matter how flimsy, as a thin cloth, over vegetables, 
will preserve them from severe frosts, if it is not alloAV- 
ed to touch them; acting by intercepting the heat. 
Every one has observed that plants liable to destruction 
by frost remain green much longer under the shade of 
trees than Avhen exposed. Thus potatoes planted in an 
orchard, will be unhurt by frost as far as the branches 
of the trees extend, while the tops in the uncovered spa¬ 
ces will be Avholly prostrated. 
DIBBER, DIBBLING. In England where the saving 
of seed grain is a greater object than the lessening of la¬ 
bor, Avheat and other grain is frequently sown by the pro¬ 
cess of dibbling. The implement called a dibble, is 
formed of two stick's shod with iron, Avith spade handle 
tops, and kept separate at the bottom at the distance 
Avhich it is intended to haA - e the rows apart, by a bar 
with a joint at each end. Thedibbler Avalks backwards, 
and Avith the implement in his hands makes two rows 
of holes at the proper distances. Two children folloAv 
to drop the seed in the holes, and the Avbole is covered 
with a fight, bush harrow. An expert dibbler with tAvo 
children will put in half an acre a day. Of course the 
soil lias to be put in good order previous to lire com¬ 
mencement of putting in the seed. The odATintage of 
dibbling is that three-fourths'of the seed is saved, three 
pecks when Avell put in being an abundant seeding for 
an acre. If weeds spring up, they can be pulled by 
hand, or cut Avith a narrow hoe ; and the Avheat stand¬ 
ing regularly and without being crowded, produces a 
finer grain, and gives a better yield. Dibbling lu«s ne¬ 
ver been practiced in this country, the price of labor, 
and the comparative cheapness of grain, rendering it 
useless. We are not in the habit of using the quanti¬ 
ty of seed wheat per acre that is considered necessary 
in Europe, from eleven to fifteen pecks being used there, 
hence the inducement, in the saving of the seed which 
induces dibbling there, has no existence here. Experi¬ 
ments show that in a good soil, three or four kernels in 
eaUi hole, gives a greater yield, than Avhen a smaller or 
a greater number are dropped. Dibbling has been prin¬ 
cipally practiced in the county of Norfolk, but it is gra¬ 
dually giving Avay to the practice of drilling. 
A WOMAN WORTH HAVING. 
In Mr. Morrison’s centennial sermon at Peterborough, 
N. H. he says ,—“ Early in our history, the hand card, 
the little spinning Avheel, and the loom with the hand 
shuttle, Avere almost the only instruments of manufac¬ 
ture in this place. The grandmother of General Miller 
paid for four hundred acres of land in fine linen, made 
entirely (except getting out the fax,) by her own hands.” 
The Gen. Miller here spoken of, is the hero of the Bat¬ 
tle of Niagara or Lundy’s Lane, in the last Avar ; and 
should Avar again threaten our borders, or our institu¬ 
tions be placed in danger frorn causes, within or without, 
it Avill be the children of such mothers, the free, uncor- 
rupted, flaidy sons of the country, that will prove its 
safeguard. From the feeble, eneiwated, children of 
luxurious idleness, men cannot be reasonably expected. 
