THE CULTIVATOR. 
159 
the first quantity, $800, and in the second, $2,000. Now 
by using an improved race of males to his bleeding sows, 
in two years he gets stock that on the same food will 
give him twenty-five per cent more pork, or in effect in 
the first instance, adds $200 to his profits, and in the 
second, $500. Is he not justified, nay, absolutely forced 
to avail himself of this improvement, or sufler gieatly in 
his interest, notwithstanding he may pay comparatively 
dear for it to begin with. Why we might just as well 
object to building a rail-road at an expense ol $5,000 to 
$20,000 per mile, or make any other improvement that 
the genius of the age has invented. But the case is so 
palpably plain, and has been so often and ably aigued, 
that I will not dwell upon it, and leave every person to 
adopt an improved stock, or not, as suits his inclination ; 
and will only add, that in this vicinity, even among what 
is called poor and hard laboring people, three to five 
dollars is not unfrequently paid for half and three-fourths 
blooded pigs, just to keep a single season for their own 
fatting, rather than accept common animals as a gift. 
They assert that they much more than save the first 
cost in the food consumed during the fatting process, 
and besides they have the gratification of a decent ani¬ 
mal to look at while it is going on, and a good quality 
of pork in the end for their tables.. 
I now come to another kind of improvement, which 
though not strictly agricultural, is akin to it, and that is 
the Park and its embellishments in front of the State 
House, and the superb architecture and dimensions of 
some of the private and public buildings recently erect¬ 
ed in its vicinity and elsewhere. Among the first is the 
Exchange, in a suit of airy rooms of which I found you, 
Messrs. Editors, so well accommodated. This is a build¬ 
ing of clear gray granite, plain in its stym of architec¬ 
ture and occupying an entire square, and made impos¬ 
ing from its large dimensions and massive material. 
What a different aspect would our cities present, il the 
several owners of lots in every square, could but agiee 
on some general plan ol building, and instead of having 
the fagades present as many ill-contrived and irregular 
fronts to the street, as there were different owners of the 
lots,each square would bean entire building after some 
particular order of architecture, looking beautiful and im¬ 
posing, on whichever of its tour sides it might be con¬ 
templated, thus making every American town, in time, 
what Prince Leopold pronounced Edinburgh to be, “ a 
city of palaces.” 
The replacing the old wooden fence around the park 
with a high strong iron one, is a great embellishment, 
and the new arrangement of the walks, and planting ol 
trees more thickly, gives it a charming grove-like as¬ 
pect, making an oasis in a desert of buildings, gladden¬ 
ing to the eye and refreshing to the town. What a re¬ 
lief to escape from the pent up atmosphere of the lower 
part of the city, to refresh one’s self here, and it is a 
thousand times to be regretted, that in planning^towns, 
more open squares and parks are not left. To say 
nothing of the rural beauty of them, they are absolutely 
necessary in our hot summers for the health of the in¬ 
habitants. The City Hall and new State House are no¬ 
ble buildings of marble, and the former standing alone, 
shows to great advantage. I don’t know when I have 
been so forcibly struck with the imposing beauty of any 
thing, as I was one clear bright night in walking down 
Washington-street; overtopping the trees of the park, 
the mellow beams of the moon falling on the rich gild¬ 
ed dome, gave it the appearance of a golden orb sus¬ 
pended in mid-air, while the white walls and pillars 
shone out so soft and clear from the dark shadowy 
back ground, as to make one quite enchanted with the 
reign of Madam Luna, and brought those never too oft 
repeated lines of the minstrel to memory : 
“If thou would’st view fair Melrose aright, 
Go visit it by the pale moonlight, 
When buttress and buttress, alternately 
Seem framed ol ebon and ivory, 
And silver edges the imagery.” 
Buffalo, August, 1840. A. B. A. 
ROHAN POTATOES, STRIPED BUG, &c. 
Messrs. Editors— In your Aug. number, page 131, I 
have observed a communication on the above topics, in 
which some information is requested ; and should noth¬ 
ing else offer, you are at liberty to insert the following. 
In’the first place, the Rohan is not the old Merino pota¬ 
to. Any person acquainted with both, or who could 
compare them, would see that though alike in some 
points, there is a wide difference in the whole. As to 
the blaek grub, I have cultivated the Rohan this two 
years, and never to my knowledge, have had a stem cut 
by the grub. Where grown on an extensive scale, the 
grab could hardly do essential injury ; where the plants 
are few, I should protect them as I would beans, cabba¬ 
ges, or other garden plants; that is, daily examine the 
plants, and if a stem was cut, hunt up the grub and de¬ 
stroy him ; a thing easily done. As to the striped bug, 
I never adopt any "half way measures with them ; the war 
is always one of extermination. A few minutes twice 
a day, spent in a plat of melon, cucumber, or pumpkin 
vines, during the few days the bug is most active, will 
not only save the present vines, but do much towards 
securing those of the next year. This spring, I had 
half a dozen hills of Valparaiso squashes, at some dis¬ 
tance from my garden. The plants were large and 
thrifty, and I began to flatter myself as the bug did not 
show itself on them, that danger from that source was 
over. Two days they remained unvisited, and the third 
I found them almost literally devoured. The bugs were 
upon them in multitudes, and the broad leaves had be¬ 
come a net work. I instantly rolled up my sleeves, and 
went at them, killed till my thumb and finger ached, amd 
till I had gone over the vines. I repeated the operation 
two or three days longer, and the hugs were scarce. 
They are now fine vines, and promise an abundant crop. 
Of all preventive of the striped bug, there is none so 
easy and sure as a pinch of the thumb and finger; the 
remedy is radical. I used to sufler much, but now I 
rarely lose a plant of any kind from this pest. Such is 
also my experience with the black grub. When they do 
mischief, hunt them out, and exact the “ pound of flesh” 
instanter. They cannot he made to understand parley¬ 
ing W. WILSON. 
THE SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. 
Editors of Cultivator —The state ol Rhode-Island, 
like the rest of her New-England sisters, has lecently 
procured a Geological and Agricultuial Suivey of hei 
territory. Dr. Charles T. Jackson, the gentleman 
employed for the purpose of making the suivey, has 
just published his Report, which is now before me. It 
contains much matter which is valuable to the farmer, 
and interesting to the general reader ; and I have thought 
that a few extracts might not be unacceptable to the read¬ 
ers of the Cultivator. Notwithstanding so much has 
been said and written on the theory and practice of agri¬ 
culture, we cannot conceal trom ourselves that we are 
still very far from possessing a knowledge of the ti uth 
in relation to these important subjects, or that agricul¬ 
ture is still far in the rear of her sister sciences. The 
cause of our ignorance is partly attributable to the want 
of mutual intercourse among farmers, which would ena¬ 
ble them to compare their experience and correct their 
practices; partly to the fact that until recently there 
has been no medium through which the results of suc¬ 
cessful practice could be recorded and disseminated ; 
but it is chiefly owing to the want of scientific know¬ 
ledge among our farmers, that our modes of cultivation 
are so empyrical, and that our results are so uncertain. 
For want of this knowledge, they are unable to avail 
themselves of those helps to correct observation, which 
have so powerfully accelei&ted the onward march of 
collateral sciences, or to appreciate the full value of 
those facts which their limited and imperfect means ol 
observation have revealed to them. Within the last few 
years, however, brighter prospects have dawned on agri¬ 
cultural science; the establishment of numeious Agii- 
cultural Journals, and the Reports of those who have 
been entrusted with the Agricultural Surveys of the 
several states, have furnished permanent repositories 
for a vast amount of valuable facts ; many of which 
were before unknown; and many, which, though they 
were known to a few individuals, or in limited districts, 
were unknown to the great body of agriculturists. 
Should these inquiries be prosecuted with zeal and as- 
siduty for a few years more, we shall probably be in 
possession of a sufficient number ol iacts to enable some 
second Newton,,to seize on the grand key fact, which 
will unlock the arcanum of agriculture, and lead us as 
triumphantly through all its labyrinths and recesses as 
the discovery of gravity did through those of astrono¬ 
my and physics. In looking through the mass ol facts 
already collected, it is almost impossible to avoid the 
conjecture that this key fact, when discovered, will be 
found to be in some way connected with electricity. 
Modern researches have revealed to us that water is, 
under certain circumstances, an excitant of the galva¬ 
nic current, and that the particles ol a finely pulverized 
soil furnish suitable plates on which its electric ener¬ 
gies in a.y be exerted; that alkaline substances are electro¬ 
positive, and acid substances are electro-negative ; that 
soils which are absolutely positive, or absolutely ne¬ 
gative, are barren; and that those soils are most 
propitious to vegetable growth and nutrition in pro¬ 
portion as these properties are equalized or bal¬ 
anced in them. It is, therefore, a well established 
agricultural maxim, that we must bring our soiis to a 
perfectly natural state, especially if acid. 
Silex'is considered as an electro-negative; lime, clay, 
iron, &c. are alkaline, or electro-positive in relation to 
it. Vegetable acids, where they exist in a soil, are 
electro-negative, and indicate the application ol lime, 
or some electro-positive substance. 
But electricity exerts another influence, recently dis¬ 
covered, and powerful in its operation, which 1 believe 
is less known to farmers than the preceding, and shows 
more conclusively its power in the production ol plants 
than any other with which I am acquainted. Dr. Jack- 
son states the doctrine with great clearness and beauty, 
and I have transcribed his account ol it, verbatim, ex¬ 
cept that I have paraphrased some of the phrases which 
he makes use of, for the benefit of those who are unac¬ 
customed to the technicalities of science. I quote from 
the “ Report,” p. 133: 
“The movements effected by the different electrical pro¬ 
perties of the component ingredients of soils, both ol mineial 
and organic nature, must have a powerful influence on the 
growth of plants, since electricity is well known to be a most 
efficient promoter of endosmose or absorption, and the power, 
although not visible or perceptible by the other senses, w.iere 
it actsln a gentle and diffused manner, yet slowly effects great 
changes, and is always the moving power in all chemical re¬ 
actions where combinations take place. Endosmose is a 
name given by Mons. Dutrochet, to a peculiar power which 
he discovered while experimenting on the capacity ol very 
thin skins (such as those which are seen rising up like bub¬ 
bles on an animal after the skin has been removedJ lor allow¬ 
ing the passage of particles of matter through their pores. 
Its name is from the Greek, and signifies internal impulse. 
By stating the principles of one or two experiments, the read¬ 
er will be enabled to understand this curious property, which 
is possessed by all thin skinny substances, when liquids of 
different densities and electro-motive power are placed on 
each side of the skin, employed in the experiment. If we 
take a cupping glass with a tube attached to it, and tie over 
its mouth a thin piece of bladder, or other thin skin, fastening 
it firmly to the rim of the glass by means of waxed thread, so 
as to render the apparatus tight, and then fix a plate ol metal 
with holes in it so as to support the bladder, we have an in¬ 
strument that will serve for an endosmometer. Having bored 
a hole through a cork that will fit the upper hole, a glass tube, 
open at both ends, is to be inserted, fill the cupping glass 
with sugar and water, or any other undecomposed solution 
denser than water, and then plunge the cup into a vessel 
filled with water, so that it comes .just up to the liquid inside 
the endosmometer at zero on the tube, it is evident that no pres¬ 
sure can be exerted on either side. Now place a scale ol pa¬ 
per or make marks with black paint on the tube, indicating 
inches and half inches, so as to be able to note what follows. 
“Very soon it will be seen that the liquid rises in the tube, 
and it will continue to do so until it flows out at the open ori¬ 
fice, provided the membrane does not yield or decay. Gene¬ 
rally I have found the ascent to be froni half to two inches per 
hour, the rate of progression diminishing with the height, 
though not regularly, for there are some peculiar states of dilu¬ 
tion in which the action is most rapid, and the rise will be 
found to vary accordingly. Dutrochet determined the ascen¬ 
sional force in such an instrument, to be equal to the pressure 
of a column of twenty-eight French inches of mercury, or 
about the weight of the atmosphere. It should here be noted 
that the pressure of the air is equally exerted on both sides of 
the instrument, and has nothing to do with the phenomenon. 
“ Mirbel, by experiment, found the ascensional power of 
the sap in a grape vine to be the same as was discovered by 
Dutrochet, in his new instrument. That is, the ascent of 
mercury in a tube, produced by the outpouring of the sap 
from the top of the grape vine which was cut off while the 
sap was flowing, and sealed up over the mercury, raised the 
mercurial column twenty-eight inches in the tube. If electricity 
be employed in the experiment with the endosmometer, im¬ 
merse the negative wire in the endosmometer, and the positive 
wire is placed in the water outside, then the water will pass into 
the instrument and the fluid will rise in the tube. This instru¬ 
ment is here mentioned as a mechanical illustration of the ab¬ 
sorbent system of plants, which have an infinity of such en- 
dosmoineters in their structure, for every rootlet has its 
spongeoles, which are little bladders that stand out from the 
imbibing portions of the roots, and every cell has its thin skin, 
iu which the endosmetric action is produced. We should also 
remark that the fluids constituting the common juice, or as¬ 
cending sap of plants, are denser than water; and hence are 
a proper excitant of endosmose. There is another peculiari¬ 
ty about the instrument, which is, if any putrid substance is 
placed within it, or if any sulphuretted hydrogen be mingled 
with syrup, it becomes instantly paralyzed; and the moment 
the skin begins toputrify, the fluid that had ascended in the 
tube passes down and filters out; and this is not owing to any 
opening being formed, for the skin is found to be perfect when 
examined. 
“I shall also remark that an opposite movement of much less 
magnitude takes place in this experiment, and it will be found 
that the fluid passes out in smaller quantities than the water 
enters. This external impulse is called exosmose. 
“ I have repeated nearly all the experiments described by 
M. Dutrochet, and can vouch for the correctness of his re¬ 
sults so far as here stated.” 
The theory of Decandolle, that a poisonous matter is 
excreted from the roots of plants, which prevents the 
successive reproduction of the same species on the same 
ground, receives a striking confirmation (though not full 
demonstration) from what has been stated in relation to 
exesmose. L. F. Allen, of Buffalo, combatted the 
theory of Decandolle in the 2nd vol. of the Cultivator, 
with an ability which renders it a matter of regret 
that he does not write oftener. His principal objection 
was drawn from the fact, that some of the lands in the 
counties of Livingston, Genesee and Monroe, had berm 
cropped with wheat for forty consecutive years, and 
now produce as large crops as they did at first. The 
same he asserted was true in relation to raising Indian 
corn on the alluvial bottoms of the Tonnewanda and 
Buffalo creeks. JudgeBuEL also took the same ground, 
and in addition, urged the absence of direct proof that 
there was any excretion such as Decandolle had sup¬ 
posed. 
The doctrine of exosmose solidly confutes the last 
objection, and the first may he answered by an hypothe¬ 
sis of the existence of an antidote to the poisonous mat¬ 
ter existing naturally in the soil. But as I fear my let¬ 
ter is growing tedious from its length, if not from its 
lack of interest, I conclude your assured friend. 
Stockport, Sth mo. 28, 1840. N. N. D. 
Clover Seed Machine. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Having received seve¬ 
ral letters from different states about Rittenhouse and 
Blackwell’s Clover Machine, and wishing to give all 
the information I am able to, I take this method of in¬ 
forming those that have addressed me on the subject, 
that since my communication to you I have seen Mr. 
Blackwell, and lie informs me that he has commenced 
making machines at Waterloo, Seneca co., N. Y., with 
Mr. Halbert, and that he has made some and sent them 
to the state of Kentucky, for individuals, with the right 
to use them within a certain territory; and will make and' 
send them, if requested, to New-York city, with the 
right to use them, or he will sell the rights of states or 
territories to individuals, and furnish as many machines 
as they may want. Yours, &c H. BREWER. 
P. S. There is a mistake in the published letter from 
me to you in the price of cleaning; the price has al¬ 
ways been one-eighth of all the quantity cleaned, in this 
vicinity, or the price of it. So the price of cleaning, 
ranges with the price of seed. 
Enfield, N. Y. Aug. 22, 1840. 
