40 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Qualities of the Sugar Beet. 
Editors of the Cultivator —Your friend Mr. 
Caton, who hails from Illinois, is most ably and very 
opportunely answered in his inquiries concerning the 
nutritive qualities of the beet root, by your able corres¬ 
pondent of the Three Hills Farm ; but the great un¬ 
importance of the subject at this time, induces me to 
trouble you with a few other remarks. Much money 
has already been expended, and very uselessly as I be¬ 
lieve, in this country in raising beets, both for feed and 
for sugar, and much more in all probability will be ex¬ 
pended as uselessly. It is, therefore, highly important 
that the merits and demerits of the beet root should be 
fairly laid before the agricultural public as early as 
may be. 
In the spring of 1839, I purchased a large amount of 
seed, believed to have been recently imported from 
France ; much of this I planted, the residue was dispo¬ 
sed of to others, who had acquired as exalted ideas of 
the value of sugar beet as I had. My own experience 
I have already detailed ; recently I have seen most of 
those who embarked with me in the enterprise, not one 
of which could be induced to repeat the trial in 1840. I 
asked one what was the effects of long continued feed 
of the beet to cattle ? His answer was, “ the cattle, 
the latter part of winter become so weak and feeble that 
they can scarcely rise upon their feet, or stand when 
they are up.” Another,—one of the best judges in the 
state on such a subject, says “ he fed out a considera¬ 
ble crop of beets to his cattle and hogs, and that they did 
most miserably on them, and that he would never re¬ 
peat the experiment.” I said to another gentleman, 
Sir, I understand you have fed your crop of beets to your 
hogs ; will you inform me of your success ? He replied, 
“ that his hogs loved the beets dreadfully , and after fill¬ 
ing themselves as full as they could hold they would 
squeal for more, and Avhat was the worst of it, they 
gained nothing during the whole time,” and added his 
opinion, “ that the French sugar beet was the meanest 
article ever fed to a hog.” One gentleman, who raised 
many hundred bushels for distilling, told me that there 
was so much woody fibre in the beet that he could do 
nothing with them—that he could as well distill a bundle 
of hay. 
I have said that cows, well fed otherways, would give 
a large supply of good milk, when fed on beets. My 
cows were well fed on dry fodder, with a limited sup¬ 
ply of water, and in that case it might reasonably be 
expected that full feed of beets would promote a large 
secretion of milk ; but now I am satisfied that I gave 
them more credit than they deserved, for I make as 
much butter this Avinter from the same coavs, on dry 
fodder alone, as I did last with the addition of beets. 
But here is one consideration to which I wish to call 
the attention of those Avho may be disposed to enter up¬ 
on the cultivation of the beet. Without starting the 
question, Avhether sugar is or is not nutritive, as an ar¬ 
ticle of diet, it is perfectly obvious that it is sugar, in 
some form or other Avhich we are in pursuit of when 
we raise a crop of beets. Noxv, if it shall prove, as I 
think it will, that in adopting the French analysis of 
sugar beet, Ave have committed a most egregious 
blunder in applying it to the beet raised in this country, 
and that instead of our beets containing 10 per cent or 
even 6, that they contain, especially in a heavy growth, 
scarcely 2 per cent, and I knoAv that I could have shoxv- 
ed tons that would not have given 1 per cent of pure 
sugar—then the root must of necessity be Avorthless. 
It may prove, and probably will, that beets raised in 
France are as much richer than ours, as are their grapes- 
In order to raise sweet beets a profuse supply of vege- 
to-animal manure is, I think, indispensable, and I hax-e 
doubted if the western prairies would not give beets 
more destitute of sugar than ours. I have taken some 
pains to ascertain if such be the fact. One friend in 
St. Clair county, Ill. Avrites me that “ his beets grew to 
a great size, but that they are destitute of sweetness.” 
Yesterday I completed a series of experiments, institu¬ 
ted Avith the vieAV of ascertaining the precise quantity 
of sugar contained in a small crop of beets raised the 
last season in my garden. I have tried nearly every 
process that has been published ; but I gave preference 
to one, detailed in a memorial by Fleishman, presented 
to Congress some two years ago. This directed that 
the beets be dried and powdered, and soaked in warm 
or hot water, until the water should have taken up all 
the sugar contained in them. The water Avas then to 
be poured off, and in the course of being evaporated 
was to be cleansed by aid of eggs, animal charcoal, fee. 
The process has been conducted with the utmost care 
possible, and the result is a waxy, rank flavored, sxveet- 
ish mass, in which I am positive there is not sugar 
equal to 1 per cent of the beets used. In another expe¬ 
riment I availed myself of the fact that boiling alcohol 
takes up one-sixteenth of its weight of sugar. I dried 
the beet and powdered it, and boiled it in alcohol. The 
solution Avas then dried clown an l gave me much the 
best result I have ever obtained ; but it was not sugar, 
nor Avas there one per cent of sugar obtained from the 
beet by this process. For a confirmation of the ground I 
have taken, I need only to refer to the frequency Avith 
xxffiich Ave harm occasion to know that the beets brought 
upon our table are totally destitute of sweetness. 
In conclusion, I have no hesitation in saying, that the 
French sugar beet raised in this country, is so destitute 
of sugar, and the manipulation so te lions and difficult, 
that it cannot be raised Avith the view of supplying the 
place of sugar from-the cane ; and further as an article 
of food for animals, it will be found to be greatly infe¬ 
rior to any other root raised for that purpose, if not ab¬ 
solutely worthless. s. GUTHRIE. 
Sackett’s Harbor, N. Y. Jan. 20, 1841. 
Management of Salt Marshes. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker—M r. Fairbanks in¬ 
quires through your paper, Avhat kind of grass seeds 
are best adapted to salt marshes. I have made some 
few experiments with salt marsh, without attempting to 
keep ofl the salt water, (I mean the heads of creeks, 
that are frequently o\ r erfiowed by salt water,) by scat¬ 
tering the seeds of Herds grass, (known to some per¬ 
sons as red-top,) over the marsh, and leave them to 
vegetate as they might. I have also sowed wheat upon 
the mud and turf thrown out of a ditch, cut through the 
same kind of marsh, and it has flourished and produced 
well, and so did the herds grass ; and I have no doubt 
that good crops of hay and wheat might be raised upon 
reclaimed salt marshes, if they Avere ditched and the 
tide kept off I think the best Avay to prepare such 
marshes would be. to burn off the grass, cut narrow 
and deep ditches, and spread the mud over intervals, 
for the purpose of making a bed for the seed, although 
they could not be long cultivated in wheat, as by des¬ 
troying the grass roots, (turf,) the marsh would settle 
too much and perhaps become miry, but they would 
not become so if kept in grass. Marsh mud and turf, 
Avhen dried and pulverized, make excellent manure for 
every kind of crops raised in this part of the country. 
No doubt it Avould vastly improve by lime. Herds grass 
seed can hardly be soAvn too thick ; about tvvo bushels 
to the acre is the usual quantity, but three Avould be 
better; it may be scattered upon the ground, and co¬ 
vered by dragging a rough bush over it, or if the ground 
be not prepared, by permitting cattle to trample it in. 
Yours respectfully, HENRY WHITING. 
Hampton, Fa. Dec. 12, 1840. 
Hints to Correspondents. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —When I am at a loss 
for something to interest me, I hunt up the numbers 
of the Cultivator, and this resource hardly ever fails 
me. In this way, I have read some of the articles of 
your paper half a dozen times, and always with unflag¬ 
ging interest. The secret of this is, that they are in the 
line of my business ; and at every reading some new 
idea is suggested that may profit me in my profession. 
Your articles on draining have taught me hoAV to drain 
my lands, from which I have derived some profit, 
and from which I expect to derive more. From your 
disquisitions, I am in hopes I shall learn the proper 
mode of applying, as well as the most economical mode 
of making and saving manures. Certain it is that ma¬ 
ny sources of obtaining manures have been pointed 
out, of which I had not dreamed before ; and from your 
vmrious publications, I have been made acquainted with 
modes of culture and farming implements, and im¬ 
proved breeds of domestic animals, of Avhich I had no 
previous knoAv ledge. Some other things I have learned, 
and I hope I shall yet learn many more from the columns 
of your paper. Among the many articles Avhich I have 
read with interest is Mr. Garnett’s of Virginia, in fa¬ 
vor of applying manures to the surface of land ; and 
it would seem that the experiments xvith his cow-pens, 
&c. as detailed by him, go a good Avay to. prove that 
manures should not be buried in the earth ; an opinion 
to which my mind has been brought, in opposition to 
my preconceived opinions and my previous practice, 
by an observation of facts. But in the experiment de¬ 
tailed by Mr. Garnett, there is one material fact omit¬ 
ted. Mr. Garnett has not told us the character of the 
soil upon Avhich his experiments Avere made. If it 
were a sandy porous soil and subsoil, it is obvious that 
the necessity of keeping the manures near the surface 
is greater than if the soil be a more retentive one ; if, 
indeed there be any truth in the opinion that sandy, 
porous soils lose more from solution and infiltration 
than retentive clays. If this shall meet the eye of Mr. 
Garnett, he Avill oblige me and perhaps others of your 
readers, if in some future communication he xvill state 
the character of the soil and subsoil upon which his ex¬ 
periments hax'e been made. If all those who give us 
accounts of their experiments, Avould uniformly state 
the character of the soil upon which they are made, 
they would be more satisfactory and more useful. 
In your October number there is some sensible re¬ 
marks on rolling land, and an experiment is mentioned 
of a field of corn, one half of which had been rolled, 
and the product increased by the roller. Upon reading 
this, Avill not every one naturally ask, what Avas the 
character of the soil? For if it were admitted that all 
soils are benefitted by rolling, yet it will not be contend¬ 
ed that all are equally benefitted; and indeed, it Avould 
seem somewhat paradoxical that a soil Axdiich is too 
heaA r y, ancl a soil Avhich is too light, should both be 
benefitted by rolling. Light sandy porous soils are 
improved by the treading of cattle, but stiff tenacious 
clays are as much injured by it. 
There is another omission on the part of your cor- 
spondents, that occasions inconvenience, and frequent- 
abates the value of their communications to distant 
aders—in failing to mention in their address, the state 
im which they write. Communications are addressed 
the public from places, whose locality is unknoxvn to 
iny of your readers. In all experiments in agricul- 
re, it is imporfant that the character of the climate 
d the character of the soil should be known, 
GEORGE H. CIIRISMAN. 
Harrisonburg, Va. Dec. 20, 1840. 
Transportation of Cattle. 
Messrs. Editors— In y°ur January number I notice 
tne wish ot a correspondent, who contemplates moving 
to the west, for the probable expense of transporting 
some cattle to Chicago. I think I can enlighten him 
some on the subject. Two years ago last fall, I took a 
trip to Indiana via Chicago. I took with me a bull, 
me°tenTnfi nd * ^ i Albany t0 BuffaI ° il cost 
me ten dollars a head for the grown cattle, and five for 
tiie call ; I took care of the cattle myself, and purchased 
nay along the canal as I wanted it, which saved the ex¬ 
pense of freight. At Buflalo I shipped for Chicago on 
board of a steamer, and they charged me sixteen dollars 
a head lor the grown cattle and eight for the calf 
By shipping m the summer when freight is scarce 
probably they mignt be shipped for one half of the 
above expense ; or much might be saved by procuring 
young animals. J 1 ° 
Having been through the mill myself, perhaps a few 
hints would not come amiss. My first would be n> 
cure the hay on board of the steamer, especially if there 
are horses or other stock on beard. I purchased enough 
hay at Buffalo to carry me through to Chicago, but it 
Avas all gone when we arrived at Detroit. The first 
night after xve left Buffalo, I thought, before I stowed 
myself axvay, I would see hoxv my cattle liked the for¬ 
ward deck, and while up there I found some of the 
steerage passengers making very free xvith, and filling 
their ticks with my hay. I put a stop to that by giving 
the hand on xvatch, a scale to keep a sharp look out for 
my hay. I found before I had been out long that I had 
m addition to my cattle, a span of horses to keep the 
OAvner having shipped them Avithout hay. I told him 
that he must return as much hay as he had taken, Avhen 
he landed. It chanced to be night when xve arrived at 
Detroit; he got his horses off, and I had to whistle 
lor my hay. 
I presume, as I said before, cattle could be shipped to 
Chicago cheaper than it cost me, for when I arrixmd 
at Buffalo the season had so fur adx r anced, that there 
was but one more steamer to go through the upper 
lakes ; I had no alternative but to go by that vessel and 
pay their price, Avhich I think was rather more than 
would have been charged had there been competition. 
At Albany some difficulty may be had in not finding 
the right kind of a boat. I could find no boat to take 
them except a scoxv—though perhaps in the summer 
the line boats would be willing to take cattle, as they 
Avould not have freight enough to take up all the room. 
Before starting on my journey, I halter broke my cat¬ 
tle, and could lead them as you Avould a hor.se. I 
Avould recommed this to your correspondent, as he will 
find it very convenient, and save him a vast deal of 
trouble. Pleasant Hill, 1 841. WM. BEMENT. 
27 
28 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
Trial of Plows in England and at Worcester, Mass. 25 
Necessaries and Luxuries—National Gallery of Ameri- ) 
can Agriculture and Manufactures—Notes on Eu- > 26 
ropean Agriculture—Working to be Idle—Candles, ) 
Vermont Butter—Comparative Profits of Small and ) 
Large Farms—American Society of Agriculture— > 
Agricultural Journals,.'.) 
Means for the improvement of Agriculture—Indian Corn ) 
—Production of Silk—Flour Trade on the Erie Ca- ' 
nal in 1840—Mr. Colman’s Addresses—Transac¬ 
tions of the New-Haven Agricultural Society,. 
Legislative Aid to Agriculture—State and Condition of) 
Agriculture in the United States—Comparative Value i 2 q 
of 1 igs—Agricultural Soiree—Young Men’s Agricul- j 
tural Society of Dutchess.. j 
Work for the Month Look Well to your Stock—Set-) 
dement of Accounts—“ Keep the door Shut!”—Ex- i 
amine your Implements—Lice on Animals—Hot j 
Beds—Collection of Cions—Wheat Fields, &c. j 
Answers to Inquiries :—Preservation of Timber—To Pre- ) 
vent Hogs from Rooting—Clearing and Improving [ 30 
New Lands—Hedges— Horse Rakes,.) 
Dictionary of Terms used in Agriculture, fee. 31 
Notes for the Month—To Correspondents,. 32 
Remarks on Ornamental Gardening, by A. Walsh— 1 
American Society of Agriculture, by Solon Rob- [ 33 
INSON,...) 
Horses, by H. S. R.—Results of Experiments, fee. by H. 
M. Gaylord,. 
The Rohan Potato, by H. D. Grove —Utility of Horse 
Carts, by C. N. Bement,. 
Mr. Prentice’s Short Horn Cow Matilda, &c. by E. P. j 
fee. by J. M. \ 36 
30 
34 
35 
Prentice —Preservation of Roots, fee. by 
f 
ar -1 
37 
y] 
Garnett, 
Self-protecting Bee-Hix-e, by Wit. M. Hall —The Far¬ 
mer’s Agricultural Society, by “ R.”—Inquiries, 
Short Horns vs. Herefords, by J H. Hepburn — Reply to 
“N. N. D ” by PIolkham — Raising Potatoes from j 38 
the Seed, by W. W. Van Loan,. 
Hot Air Furnace, by J. ,T. Thomas — Chinese Tree Corn, 
by H. Van Kleeck, J. W. Poiner, and “ T. A.” 
Board and Stone Fence, and Churning Milk in Mexi- r oq 
co, by S. W. Jeavett —Culture of Wheat, by “L.”— 
Sugar Beet, by P. Diehl — Large Pigs, by “M. Y. 
T.” and W. L. Smith, . t 
The Sugar Beet, by S. Guthrie — Hints to Correspond 
dents. &c. by G. IP. Chrisman— Management of 
Salt Marshes, by H. Vvii 'iing —Transportation of 
Cattle, by Wm. Bement,.. 
Illustrations. 
Fig. 7. —Prouty & Mears’ Premium PIoav,. ..25 
5-40 
Fig 8.—Ground Plan of a Garden. 
Figs. 9. 10. 11. 12.—Arbors, Trellises, &.c. for Gardens,.. 
Fig. 13.—Scotch Horse Cart,. 
Fig. 14.—Mr. Prentice’s Cow Matilda,. 
Fig. 15.—Self-Protecting re-Hive,. 
Fim 16.—Section of Board Fence,. 
33 
33 
35 
36 
37 
39 
