164 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
pears to be advanced by the writer of the enclosed ar¬ 
ticle. 
It is an important inquiry, “what is the cause of rust 
in wheat V’ But a much more important inquiry, “ what 
can be done to prevent it?” 
More than a million of dollars is lost to the cultiva¬ 
tors in this rusty district, by this calamity. If you or 
your correspondents can offer advice as to how to guard 
against a future loss, it will be highly acceptable. 
Most respectfully your friend, 
SOLON ROBINSON. 
Note. —My young Berkshires continue to improve 
and excite as much curiosity as ever. It is a good evi¬ 
dence of a disposition among the people toward im¬ 
provement, to see their curiosity excited by good stock 
when introduced to their notice. 
Lake Court House, la. Aug. 20, 1S40. 
Notes for tl)c Jibuti). 
Arrival. —The ship Philadelphia, arrived at New- 
York Sept. 25, having on board our correspondent, Mr. 
Sotham, and the importation of stock mentioned in Mr. 
S.’s letter in another part of this paper. The animals 
will remain at New-York for exhibition at the Fair of 
the American Institute, after which they will be brought 
up to this city. 
Mr. Vail’s Importation. —It is due to the beautiful 
animal, and to the breeder from whom she was procu¬ 
red, to say that in the portrait given in the last Cultiva¬ 
tor of Mr. Vail’s heifer “ Dutchess,” the artist has by no 
means done her justice—an error which we hope to re¬ 
medy, by giving a correct likeness hereafter. 
Fair at Rochester. —The Genesee Agricultural 
Society will hold their first fair at Rochester, on the 7th 
and 8th of this month—the exhibition, 8tc. on the first 
day, and a public sale of stock, &c. on the last day. 
The Mechanic’s Association of Western New-York, will 
hold their 2d fair at Rochester on the same day. This 
union of effort by the Farmers and Mechanics of the 
Genesee Valley, can hardly fail to bring forth an exhi¬ 
bition of the products of the soil and the shop, credita¬ 
ble alike to the city and the skill of her artizans, and 
the husbandmen of Monroe. The notice sentfor the last 
Cultivator, was received too late for insertion. 
Cattle Show and Fair at Cleveland —The annu¬ 
al Cattle Show and Fair of the Cuyahoga Agricultural 
Society will be held at Cleveland on the 21st and 22d 
days of the present month. It would afford us great 
pleasure to accept the polite invitation of the Society to 
attend its exhibition, but circumstances are such as not 
to permit the indulgence of the hope that we shall be 
able to enjoy that pleasure. The Society respectfully 
invite patentees and manufacturers of Agricultural im¬ 
plements, to send specimens of their articles to be exhi¬ 
bited at the Fair. All such articles will be examined 
and reported on, by a committee appointed for that pur¬ 
pose. 
American Institute. —The Agricultural Committee 
of this institution have given notice that a Plowing Exhi¬ 
bition will take place at Newark, N. J. on the afternoon 
of the 9th inst. Plows sent to the Fair for competition, 
will be sent to the plowing ground free of expense. 
The best plow will receive as a premium, a silver cup. 
An exhibition of pure blooded cattle, horses, sheep and 
swine, will beheld at Niblo’s Garden in New York, 
on the 14th; and a public sale at Tattersall’s on the 
15th instant, for the disposal of all stock which may 
be sent to the Fair for sale. Premiums of a gold medal 
or silver cup of the value of $15, will be awarded for the 
best stud horse, best mare, best colt, best bull, best cow, 
best bull calf or heifer—for the best jack, a cup of the 
value of $10—for the best ram, ewe, and lamb..and for 
the best boar, sow and shoat, each a cup of the value 
of $8. The Horticultural Exhibition will be open on 
the 13th, 14lh, and 15lh. 
Another Sale of Berkshires. —Our neighbor Mr. 
C. N. Bement, of the Three Hills Farm, has lately sold 
some of his breeding stock of Berkshires, among which 
was the imported boar “Duke of Leeds,” alias “ Sam 
Slick,” to H. S. Kellogg, Esq. of Cincinnatti. This 
boar was imported in 1833, when a pig of only five 
weeks old, and weighed when he left this city, over 500 
pounds, and only in ordinary condition. He has great 
length of body, short legs, fine hams, deep and thick 
in the shoulders, and small head and ears in compari¬ 
son with his body. 
Silk Culture. —We make the following extract 
from a letter lately received from Mr. R. Sinclair, Sen. 
the well known proprietor of the “ Clairmont Nurse¬ 
ries,” near Baltimore, Md—“I have raised seventy-live 
bushels of cocoons this summer, by way of first trial, 
and hope to do better next season, although what few 
worms I had did very well. I think I have about se¬ 
venty ounces of good eggs to start with next yeajr. It 
is a new business, but quite encouraging. I think the 
Rev. Mr. McLean’s estimate, of cost of making a pound 
of silk, will prove to be about correct.” 
A Plow for the Prairies. —A letter from E. W. 
Brewster, Esq. Elgin, (Ill.) says—“The plow used 
on the broad plains of our fertile west, is a clumsy, un¬ 
manageable utensil; the light graceful screw is by a few 
moment’s use, converted into a heavy cumbrous wedge. 
T wish to direct the attention of our ingenious mechan¬ 
ics to this subject, and to ask if any of them can furnish 
the Valley of the Mississippi with a plow which will, 
in operation, free itself from the adhesive particles of 
our too rich prairies? And in the name of the Far 
West, I promise him a rich pecuniary reward and a 
high rank on the list of public benefactors.” 
Harper’s School District Library. —The publish¬ 
ers have given notice that the 3d series of the District 
School Library, consisting of fifty volumes, will be issu¬ 
ed in a few weeks—in season to be forwarded to those 
who may order it before the close of navigation. 
OCF There will be a trial of Plows at Worcester, 
Mass., on the 13th inst. $100 will be awarded for the 
best plow which turns the furrow slice flat, and $75 for 
the best plow which lays it at an angle of 45 degrees— 
open to all parts of the country. 
Large Sheep. —Thos. Carpenter of Hull Farm, Ox¬ 
fordshire, England, recently slaughtered a Cotswold 
ewe, which weighed 59 lbs. per quarter. 
Crops in Kentucky. —“ The corn crop in Jefferson 
count} r ,” says a letter from Mr. D. S. Chambers, of 
Sept. 2, “ is unusually promising, which I understand is 
generally the case throughout the state. I have culti¬ 
vated this year five or six acres of the sugar beet, 
which look very fine, and should they equal my expec¬ 
tations, I will give you the result.” 
The Army Worm.; —This pest is making frightful 
ravages in the cotton fields of the lower Mississippi. 
To-day a plantation will be free from them ; to-morrow 
the crop is totally destroyed. Their origin and their 
end appears alike a mystery to the planter; but the 
destruction they cause is as complete as it is sudden. 
Eggs. —Two thousand years ago it was well known 
that long eggs when hatched produced males, and round 
eggs females. We see the same thing has been re-discover¬ 
ed, and claimed as an important addition to modern 
facts. Solomon was not far from right when he said 
there was nothing new under the sun. 
Save your fire wood. —Mr. Madison, in his notices 
of agriculture, says—“ Of all the errors in our rural 
economy, none perhaps is so much to be regretted, be¬ 
cause none so difficult to be repaired as the excessive 
and injudicious destruction of fire wood. It seems 
never to have occurred, that the fund was exhaustible, 
and that sc crop of trees could not be raised as quick as 
one of wheat or corn.” 
A Truth. —The farmer who consumes all he raises, 
and runs in debt for what he buys, is certainly in a bad 
way ; and a nation that pursues the same course must 
expect to arrive at the same result, namely, bankruptcy. 
Introduction of the Little Spinning Wheel and 
Potato. —The Rev. Mr. Morrison of Peterborough, N. 
H. has lately delivered a centennial sermon at that 
place; it being now 100 years since the Scotch-Irish set¬ 
tlers of that town, Londonderry, Antrim, &c. commenced 
the settlement on their arrival from Europe. It con¬ 
tains many interesting particulars of that strong mind¬ 
ed, able bodied race of men, and their descendants, who 
still people that fertile district of New-Hampshire. 
According to Dr. Belknap, these emigrants bnJughtwith 
them the first foot spinning wheels that were used in 
this country, and the firstfpotatoes ever grown inNew- 
England, which were thence called Irish potatoes. The 
potato has triumphed over all opposition and prejudice, 
and as an article of food, has taken place next to the 
cereal plants; but the little wheel, we are sorry to say, 
has become too unfashionable among our fair country¬ 
women, and has been compelled to give way to the 
piano, a change in general most injudicious. 
Mice. —Mr. McDonald of the Hebrides, has found 
that wild or common mint, put in places frequented by 
mice, such as mows of grain, granaries, &c. or the 
leaves laid over cheese in daires, is an effectual preven¬ 
tive against the attacks of mice. 
A Good Custom. —In the Duchy of Gotha in Germa¬ 
ny, a rule prevails by which every new married couple 
is bound to plant two fruit trees, and the inhabitants of 
the parish are made answerable for their preservation. 
This Duchy is noted for the abundance and excellence of 
its fruit. 
Saw Dust. —According to Gov. Hill, the Shakers at 
Canterbury “make much use of saw dust as litter for 
hogs, horses, cows, &tc. It is very fine for horse bed¬ 
ding; half a bushel thrown at night under a horse will 
give him an easy bed, and leave him in the morning in 
a situation to be cleaned with little trouble. The saw 
dust is an excellent foundation for compost manure.” 
Good Hens —Mr. E. A. Colman of Chelsea, Mass, 
had from eight hens, from July 9, to August 29, seven 
weeks, 293 eggs. 
Prolific. —The wife of Mr. G. K. Norris, of Mon¬ 
mouth, Maine, was safely delivered of four living chil¬ 
dren, 3 girls and a boy, on the 5th of Sept. 1840. So 
says the Maine Cultivator. 
Draining. —In answer to the inquiry of Mr, Goodell 
in our last number, Mr. James Purcell of New-Leba- 
non, informs us that from an experience of 30 years in 
ditching and draining, both in this country and Ireland, 
he is convinced that he can drain Mr. G.’s land. “ to his 
liking.” He says he has just “ brushed and ditched a 
swamp of ten acres for Mr. Wm. Sherman of New- 
Lebanon, which was so wet and mirey that cattle sunk 
into it so deep as to require assistance to get out, and I 
could put down a pole 10 or 12 feet with ease. I brush¬ 
ed it first, and then cut ditches four feet wide and three 
feet deep. It was finished in the fall, and in the spring 
following he could take a yoke of cattle and loaded cart 
through any part of it, and he intends to plow and put 
a crop in it next spring.” Mr. Purcell may be addressed 
at New-Lebanon, Col. co. N. Y. 
TO AGENTS. 
In the Cultivator of the last and present month, bills 
have been enclosed to all our agents, to which we re¬ 
spectfully solicit their immediate attention, as it is high¬ 
ly necessary, and of great importance to us, that all ac¬ 
counts for the current volume should be closed up be¬ 
fore the end of the year. 
(!C?= Subscribers in Monroe county, who are still in¬ 
debted, will please make payment to Samuel Hamil¬ 
ton, No. 8 Buffalo-st. Rochester. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
“ Vermont Bee Hive.” —Mr. Weeks, the inventor of 
this bee hive, and author of the excellent “ Manual on 
the management of Bees,” has sent us one of his hives 
of the full size, which we shall keep at the Cultivator 
office for public inspection. His letter accompanying 
the hive, will be published next month. 
New Works. —Among the matter in type for this No. 
but omitted for want of room, are notices of Dr. Jack- 
son’s Geological Report of Rhode Island, and Mr. Ped- 
der’s “ Frank, or Dialogues between Father and Son,” 
on agricultural subjects. 
The Chess Controversy. —Perhaps we owe an apo¬ 
logy to our readers for occupying so much space with 
this question; and to prevent a continuance of the dis¬ 
cussion, we give this early notice that after the publi¬ 
cation of some two or three articles now on hand, we 
must decline farther occupying our columns with it, at 
least until such times as some new proofs, and more 
cogent ones, of the doctrine of transmutation are disco¬ 
vered. 
The Barberry. —We have received several articles 
in relation to the disputed question of the effects of the 
barberry on wheat and other grains. We shall make 
room for one or two more, after which we trust our 
friends will excuse us if we close the discussion. 
{jcf= Several communications, already in type, are 
omitted for want of room. 
Back Volumes of the Cultivator. 
All the published volumes of the Cultivator can be 
furnished to new subscribers. The price is, for vols. 1, 
2, 3 and 4, 50 cents each—vols. 5 and 6, $1.00 each. 
They are handsomely done up in printed covers, and 
can be sent by mail at the expense of newspaper post¬ 
age. 
The Market—New-York, Sept. 25. 
Flour. —Since the arrival of the Queen, Flour in this mar¬ 
ket has declined. Sales are now made at $4.75 a $4.87| a 
barrel. Flour has also declined in the principal markets on 
the sea coast, though prices at the last accounts were much 
higher, say twenty-five per cent, than in July last. We give 
the rate current this week :— 
Georgetown, Sept. 21, $5 00 Baltimore, Sept. 21, $5 12 
Richmond, Sept. 22, 5 25 Alexandria, Sept. 22, 5 00 
Charleston, Sept. 19, 6 00 Savannah, Sept. 18, 6 62 
Wool. —The demand for American Fleece, continues good 
and prices are more firm. Am. Sax. 40 a 42, Am. Mer. fl. 
30 a 35, Am. J f blood, 27 a 30, Com. to 4 bd. 23 a 25. 
Cotton. —There has been no material movement in this 
market; buyers seek a reduction from present rates. Sales 
ha*e beenmade at8 a IO3 forUpland andFlorida, 9 a 11£ for 
Mobile, 9 a 11 for New-Orleans. 
Ashes. —There is a fair demand for both descriptions of this 
article at $5 for Pots, and $5.25 for Pearls. 
Hemp. —The stock of Russia has been increased, demand 
limited, and prices falling. 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
Among the Farmers, No. 2—Notices of Farming in 
Central New-York,. 
Cows, notice of good milkers—Prospects of the Silk 
Culture—Irrigation, . 
Saving Seeds—Value of the Roller—The Natural Sci¬ 
ences—Wooden Underdrains—Myrtle Soap,. 
Work for the Month—Barilla, or Soap boiler’s Waste— 
The Sugar Beet—Renovating Grass Lands—Ce¬ 
ment for Buildings—Bees,... 
The Grasses—Wheat—Thorn Hedges—Singular worm ) 
—The Great West—The Mulberry—Hessian Fly [ 
—Mr. Bates’ Short Horns,.1 
Farming in Germany—Sheep—Comparative Value of 
Articles used as Food—Nutritive Qualities of Su¬ 
gar—Salt for Animals,. 
Dictionary of Terms used in Agriculture—A Woman ? 
worth having,. 
Foreign Notices—Short Horn bull Clementi—Yorkshire | 
Agricultural Society—Agricultural Schools—Agri- | 
cultural Pursuits—Trotection for Sheep—Kentish ( 
Sheep—Berkshire Hogs—Agricultural Museums f 
—Crops in England—Lamb Fairs—Death of Dr. 
Perrine,.. c . ... J 
Beat this if you can”—Advantages of Draining,. 
Notes of a Traveler,... 
Rohan Potatoes, Striped Bug, &c.—The Science of ? 
Agriculture—Clover Seed Machine,.} 
The full-bred Berkshires”—Wheat vs. Chess—Rules \ 
in Sowing Wheat—Inquiry,. 
Mr. Kendall’s Cow Julia—Letter from England— 
Messrs. Harland’s Swine—Carpenter’s Harvesting 
Machine—Description of a Cotswold Buck—Grubs 
in Peach Trees—All the Luck,.. • • • • • •_ 
To Western Emigrants—The Short Horns and Here- . 
fords—Queries for the best method of cultivating > 
Clay Lands,.. • • • • ..' 
Popular Errors, No 3—Chess—Rust in Wheat,.... 
Notes for the Month, Notices, &c. 
149 
150 
151 
152 
153 
154 
155 
156 
157 
158 
159 
160 
161 
162 
163 
164 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
Fig. 83.—“Beat this if you can,”. 
Fig. 84.—Portrait of Mr. Kendall’s Julia,- 
157 
161 
