172 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
iDork for % Jitontl). 
Some good natured Frenchman has spoken of this 
month, as “the gloomy month of November, in which 
the people of England hang and drown themselves;” 
and surely, if there is any month that deserves the ap¬ 
pellation of “ gloomy,” it is usually November. The 
bright sunny days of summer, the clear calm mellow 
weeks of autumn, the golden days of our peerless Indian 
summer, have departed; and the falling leaves and the 
moaning Avind's are sighing the requiem of the year’s 
foliage and flowers, and ushering in the storms of win¬ 
ter. Such is the law of nature; and the change which 
is ceaselessly going on with us and around us, is a wise 
and beautiful provision, which is admirably adapted to 
our comfort, and of which the man who understands his 
true interests, will be sure in many respects to profit. 
No great amount of out door work belongs to Novem¬ 
ber ; what has not already been done, with few excep¬ 
tions, must be left to another year. Still there will be 
found many things to which the attention may be well 
directed, and deserving the notice of the husbandman. 
In traveling about the country, on many farms we see 
the plow standing in the furrow where it Avas used a 
month ago ; the horse rake exposed to weather and 
storms in the meadow; the harrow at the last turn of 
the fall sown wheat, and the other farm implements 
scattered in about the same condition. We can assure our 
farming friends, that this is a very bad practice. Ex¬ 
posed to the weather, no tool or implement will last 
near as long as when properly housed; and a tool house 
or place where they can be safely deposited, is one of 
the most necessary of out buildings. When an imple¬ 
ment is done with for the season, put it where it can be 
found when -wanted; and much time and expense will 
be eventually saved. 
In taking care of a farm, all repairs should be made 
at the time ; but there are some things that require at¬ 
tention at the approach of winter ; to neglect which, 
would be to incur a serious loss. The cellar in particu¬ 
lar, should be well looked to, and the most remote dan¬ 
ger of freezing, prevented by suitable precaution. Fro¬ 
zen potatoes may make tolerable “ schnap,” but they 
are certainly wretched eating. Many farmers bury a 
few pits or holes of potatoes or other roots, as they are 
far superior in the spring to those kept in cellars. These 
pits should be examined ; the holes which are sometimes 
necessary to let off the heated air at the top of the pit 
should be closed, and additional mold thrown upon them 
if required. 
Draining is one of the most decided improvements in 
modern agriculture, but we apprehend the expense in¬ 
curred by many farmers is nearly or quite lost, by neg¬ 
lecting to secure them against the access of surface 
water, or by not seeing that the outlets of the drains 
have a clear and unobstructed flow. If the drains are 
obstructed the wash of them is deposited, and this in¬ 
creases until the throat is choked, and the work render¬ 
ed useless. One of the last things therefore the farmer 
should do, before the setting in of winter, is to see to 
his drains, as on their effectiveness, much of the com¬ 
fort of his spring’s work and the profit of the crop is 
depending. 
There are some operations of gardening, which are 
better performed as late as the season will admit. 
Thus cabbages should stand until there is danger of 
hard freezing ; light frosts producing no injurious effect. 
They may be set in trenches, and covered in such a 
manner as to be kept dry, or set in cellars connected 
with their roots, in which case they will keep well. 
Those who have no beds for forcing plants early in the 
season, will find an advantage in preparing beds of 
clean rich earth, as late as the frost will permit, and 
sowing in them such seeds as give plants capable of re¬ 
sisting those frosts of spring, that will be liable to occur 
after their germination. Lettuce, spinage, tomatoes, 
and in general, all those seeds that self sow, as it is 
called, in the garden, may be sown in the fall, if so late 
as not to germinate before the spring, and if the soil is 
good, will usually come forward earlier, and arrive at 
maturity sooner than spring sown seeds. The seeds of 
the apple, pear and quince, and the stones of the peach, 
plum, See., may now be put in the earth, if it has not 
been done before ; and the planting of almost any of the 
hardy trees may now be performed. The raspberry, 
currant, filbert and gooseberry shrubs, may be set with 
safety, if the roots while out of the ground are protect¬ 
ed from frost. 
There are some men who never have any wood at 
their houses, except such as is drawn a “ drag” at a time 
from the wood lot, through the gravel and dirt. Such 
men generally grind their axes on their neighbor’s grind¬ 
stone, and think him unreasonable if he does not fur¬ 
nish a mug of cider and a boy to turn. This mode of 
getting fire wood, they deem saving ; but reader, be not 
ye one of this class of saving men. 
There is still an important duty remaining, after all 
the implements, fields, buildings and flocks and herds 
of the farmer have been cared for, and that belongs to 
the making provision for the mind. There must be 
knowledge, there must be intelligence, or the farmer of 
this country is but illy qualified for the responsible sta¬ 
tion he holds in society. He must see that books, pa¬ 
pers, and such works as are calculated to interest, in¬ 
struct, and give an elevated, healthy moral tone to his 
own mind, or those of his children, are provided. There 
are long winter evenings coming, and if they are not 
well employed, the seeds of mischief will most assured¬ 
ly be sown. Idleness of either body or mind, is incom¬ 
patible with their health or prosperity. 
Nearly allied to this subject of providing the means 
of instruction for the family, is the one of a proper or¬ 
ganization and support of the common school. The 
foundation laid by many of the States, New-York in par¬ 
ticular, for the education of every child, is a noble one, 
and which will, if any thing can, with the blessing of 
Heaven, transmit unimpaired to other generations, our 
social and civil institutions. It is to the district school 
that we must look for the means and measures that de¬ 
termine the character of the young; and through them, 
the destinies of the country. If the instruction is of the 
right kind, if the instructor understands his business, if 
correct principles, such as are consonant with the doc¬ 
trines of republican equity and sound moral feeling are 
inculcated, then the district school becomes the nursery 
of freemen ; and men and women worthy of the name 
of Americans will be the result. Experience shows 
that in no place is penuriousness more to be deprecated, 
or the policy of using the cheapest things more injuri¬ 
ous, than in the employment of school teachers. The 
man or woman who understands the business of instruct¬ 
ing the young, can always command a good price for 
their labor, and they always deserve it. In employing 
a teacher, the price should always be a secondary ob¬ 
ject ; the qualifications are the main thing, and where 
these exist, the less that is said about price the better. 
The proprietors of the district school are generally in 
fault in not giving it as much attention as it deserves. 
Parents should visit it frequently ; it encourages both 
the children and the teacher, and is found in many ways, 
productive of the best effects. We say to every lover 
of the country, look well to your district schools. 
AGRICULTURAL MEETINGS IN OCTOBER. 
One of the most encouraging signs of the times, so far 
as agriculture is concerned, is shown in the determined 
efforts made for advancement and improvement, as exhi¬ 
bited in the increase of number and the spirit and ener¬ 
gy of agricultural associations. October this year, has 
been the sabbath of the months to the farmer, and its 
holydays have been celebrated in all parts of our coun¬ 
try with a becoming enthusiasm. Circumstances which 
render it necessary for us to go to press earlier this month 
than usual will prevent our giving to the proceedings of 
these societies now, the attention they deserve, and we in¬ 
tend shall hereafter receive. We have only time to say 
here, that the meetings of the agricultural societies, the 
cattle fairs, the plowing matches, mechanics’ fairs, and 
fairs of the institute, have all gone off well, and the articles 
and animals exhibited have shown a decided improve¬ 
ment over former years. Emulation has been more ge¬ 
neral, greater numbers have attended, and as a matter 
of course the influence such gatherings of farmers and 
practical men are calculated to exert, has been much 
more widely diffused. From the east, west, north, and 
south, notices of these farmer’s and mechanic’s meetings 
have reached us, in places where such occun-ences have 
been before unknown; and we cannot doubt the result 
will be most beneficial. England finds much of her ag¬ 
ricultural prosperity connected with her annual fairs ; 
and there seems to be no reason why the same laudable 
influence will not produce the same results here. Let 
farmers meet, let them become acquainted with each 
other, let them compare the processes adopted by oth¬ 
ers with their own; and we are confident many of the 
difficulties which now form so serious obstacles in the 
way of improvement in agriculture, would be done away. 
Let then these meetings and associations increase, until 
every county and every district shall be banded togeth¬ 
er in the good work of promoting their individual as 
well as general good. 
SILK AND SILK WORM EGGS. 
The quantity of American silk this year produced, is 
very great; and appearances would indicate that it 
may be made a business of profit to many small farm¬ 
ers, who have children able to gather the leaves and 
feed the worms. Our climate is so well adapted to the 
worm, that wherever the mulberry can be found, there 
is no more difficulty in raising a crop of silk than a crop 
of potatoes. From len to sixty or one hundred bushels 
of cocoons have been this year produced by many in the 
United States, and many who were, from inability to 
procure eggs at the proper time or other causes, the 
past season, prevented from growing silk, will enter up¬ 
on the business next spring with spirit, and we trust 
with success. 
Where the Mullicaulis is used for feeding, as we think 
it will be, or some of the kindred varieties, one of the 
most serious obstacles has been found in the difficulty 
of keeping the eggs from hatching, until the foliage has 
so far advanced as to furnish a supply for the worms. 
To do this, the hatching must be retarded by artificial 
means; and G. B. Smith, the best authority on the sub¬ 
ject, has in a late number of the Journal of the Ameri¬ 
can Silk Society, given an interesting paper on the keep¬ 
ing of eggs, from which Ave gather the following particu¬ 
lars. 
It is indispensable that the eggs be kept dry and cool. 
If they are on papers or cloth, they may be folded into 
a convenient form, and placed in a tin box,xvith a cover 
merely sufficiently tight to exclude insects and vermin. 
Occasional examination is necessary during the summer, 
and if signs of mold or mildeAV appear, they may be ex¬ 
posed to the Avind in the shade for an hour or two, and 
then replaced. If not on cloths or papers, they may be 
placed in layers in the box of half an inch in thickness, 
with a few folds or sheets of tin betAveen them. In 
January, or on the approach of severe cold Aveather, the 
: box may be removed to the ice house or a refrigerator, 
Mr. Smith prefers the last. The temperature in Avhich 
the eggs are kept should never rise above 45°, for though 
they Avill generally bear 50° without injury, it is not al- 
Avays the case, and 45° is always safe. A thermometer 
is necessary to prevent any mistake. Mr. Smith gives 
the following directions for the making of a refrigerator: 
“ A large square box may be made of common plank; and 
another twelve inches smaller every way. Put pulveri¬ 
zed charcoal in the bottom of the large box, six inches deep ; 
set the small box on it, at equal distances from each side and 
each end; then fill in all around between the small box and 
the large one, with pulverized charcoal, to the top of the small 
box. Then make a box six inches deep, and large enough to 
fit exactly in the large box; fill this with the powdered char¬ 
coal ; the latter box will serve as a cover for the refrigerator. 
The inner box should be large enough to hold all the eggs re¬ 
quired to be kept, and a tin bucket or other metallic vessel, 
that contains half a bushel of ice; for the ice must not be put 
on the floor of the box, or it will wet the eggs as it melts. The 
ice vessels must be kept constantly supplied with ice. The box 
cover may have a couple of handles to enable the attendant to 
remove it easily. The cover should not shut in so close as to 
exclude air entirely, nor so as to injure the eggs. The refri¬ 
gerator may be kept in any part of the house, the cooler its 
situation, the less ice it will require; but half a bushel of ice 
will keep it at a proper temperature for twenty-four hours in 
any situation not exposed to the sun or to fire heat. 
GEOLOGICAL REPORT. 
We have received from the author, and from the 
Rhode Island Society for the Promotion of Domestic In¬ 
dustry, by 0. Mason, Esq., Dr. Jackson’s Report of the 
GeologicalrevieAV of that State, just completed by him¬ 
self. Of Dr. Jackson’s qualifications for the duty of 
Geological Surveyor, we have already expressed a favo¬ 
rable opinion, founded on his Maine Reports, and the 
present volume will still farther establish his claim to 
the high character already acquired. 
The volume before us is composed of an Introduction, 
the Geological Report, the Origin of Soils, Agricultural 
Statistics, Agricultural Observations, Analysis of Soils, 
and Farm Reports; all the subjects introduced, are 
ably treated, and calculated to afford much interest 
and instruction, and the whole making up a neat 8 
vo. volume of more than 300 pages. We shall have 
occasion doubtless, frequently to draAV on the rich 
store of information in the volume, for the benefit 
of our readers; and though on some points of a the¬ 
oretical nature, avc might dissent from the author, on 
all the great practical questions involved, there would be 
little or no difference of opinion. Such examinations 
and reports are calculated to be eminently useful; and 
those completed or now going on, promise to add much 
to our knoAvledge of the agricultural as well as mineral 
resources of our country. Dr. Jackson is now engaged 
in a survey of New Hampshire, and we doubt not Avill 
be as successful in illustrating the capabilities of the 
granite State, as he has those of Maine and Rhode 
Island. _ 
“ Frank, or Dialogues between a Father and Son.” 
We have received from the author, this neat little 
volume, and can most cordially recommend it to the no¬ 
tice of all engaged in agriculture, particularly that por¬ 
tion who are young, in these Dialogues, Avhich have 
already had an extensive circulation in the farming pe¬ 
riodicals of the day, Mr. Peddeh has condensed a great 
amount of useful and pleasing matter, in a format once 
attractive and instructive. The portraits of individual 
character draAvn in the volume, are such as will he re¬ 
cognized in eA r ery neighborhood; and the lessons incul¬ 
cated from such examples, such as will be every Avhere 
useful. In the language of the author, these Dialogues 
may be considered as “ the reminiscences of a long life, 
devoted to the pursuits of agriculture, husbandry, and 
rural affairs, and in Avhich the characters are real, not 
fictitious, for there is a Frank, and a sister Susan, a 
Grabb and a Sykes ; the circumstances also having a lo¬ 
cal habitation and a name, and the observations and re¬ 
flections, being the result of much experience and re¬ 
flection.” We doubt not that in the dwelling of the 
American farmer, “ Frank” Avill be a far more benefi¬ 
cial book, than the most celebrated novel Buhver has 
ever Avritten, and as such we trust it Avill have a circu- 
culation commensurate with its merits. 
O save Go Ag. Society. —This Society held its first Ex¬ 
hibition at OsAvego, Oct. 7. The display of stock was 
creditable to the county. Premiums Avere awarded, 
among others, to Wm. Ingell for the best acre of corn, 
being" 154$ bushels of 53 lbs. to the bushel, per acre. 
Best 2 acres of oats, 72 bushels per acre, to Jackson 
Ri ce —best 4th acre of carrots to David Carson, 703 
bushels per acre. Premiums were also awarded on 
crops of broom corn, ruta baga, 596 bushels to the acre 
—potatoes 405 bushels per acre—sugar beet and beet 
sugar, to a variety of domestic manufactures, and to 
horses, cattle, sheep, sAvine, &c. The company dined 
together, and the Exhibition passed off much to the cre¬ 
dit of the Society, considering that it was its first effort. 
o= ADVERTISEMENTS. 
We shall issue an extra sheet Avith the next No. of the 
Cultivator, four to six pages of which will be devoted 
to advertisements. Those who wish to avail themselves 
of this opportunity, should send in their advertisements 
immediately. Terms-—$2 per square of 12 lines. 
