THE CULTIVATOR. 
powders. Half an liour after a powder has been given 
let the animal have a bason ol warm gruel, and in six 
hours repeat the powder, if the symptoms are not con¬ 
siderably abated.” In the epidemic form it is a danger¬ 
ous disease, and it does not seem to be fully decided 
whether it is contagious or otherwise. 
Straw. 
Messrs. Editors— In looking over the 4th volume of 
the Cultivator, I find an article from Chap tabs Chemistry 
applied to Agriculture, which contains the following 
" ~ ” '■ ifi” is in the whole 
sentence : “ I do not believe that there 
vegetable kingdom an aliment alfording so little nourish¬ 
ment to plants or animals as the dry straw of grain; 
serving only to fill the stomachs of the latter ; and fur¬ 
nishing to the former but about one hundredth part of 
its weight of soluble manure.” I am. in the habit of 
transferring annually large quantities of injured straw 
to my farm pens, not merely for the comfort of my 
stock, but chiefly from the impression that the straw 
thus brought into contact with the stronger manures 
will greatly increase the quantity and value of the gen¬ 
eral bulk. If the scientific author is correct, however, 
in this opinion, I have but little reason for continuing 
that course, as the straw could be removed at once to 
the field which it is designed to benefit, with much less 
labor and trouble. I should like your opinion on this 
subject.” . . 
We have long been aware of this opinion of Chaptal, 
but our experience has led us to distrust the soundness 
of his conclusion. The chemist, however skillful he 
may be, is very apt in his laboratory to overlook or not 
understand some of the processes used by nature to ac¬ 
complish its purposes. It has appeared to us that when 
nature has once formed a straw out of nutritive matter, 
she can decompose and reconvert that substance to nu¬ 
tritive matter again, and actually does it, although the 
process cannot as yet be accomplished in the chemist’s 
laboratory. Both straw and wood have since the time 
of Chaptal been converted into most nourishing bread, 
and the solulable product of straw has been increased 
to some 14 per cent by Madden. While, therefore, we 
do not consider straw as very valuable as a manure com¬ 
pared with some others, we have always preferred 
using it in our yards to applying it directly to the soil 
for two reasons ; it furnished a litter for the yards that 
renders the animals more comfortable, and is trodden 
and made fine by the feet, a process greatly aiding its 
decomposition ; and it seems to absorb and retain a 
large part of the most valuable part of the manures in 
the yards, (the liquid and soluble parts, salts, &c.) 
which would otherwise be in a great degree lost to the 
farmer. For these reasons we prefer that our straw, 
even if the animals were not benefited by it as a food 
in the least, should pass through the cattle yards and 
the pig pens before it goes to the field. 
Beet Sugar. 
Mr. Stanly of New Milford, inquires as to the easi¬ 
est method of making beet sugar, or where directions 
for the manufacture can be had. 
The simplest mode of manufacture we have seen, 
may be found at page 167 of the last volume of the 
Cultivator ; but the most ample, and we presume cor¬ 
rect description of the process we have yet seen pub¬ 
lished in this country, js to be found in Mr. Child’s 
book, which can doubtless be had in any of the cities. 
Change of Timber and Soils. 
Messrs. Editors— Some thirty years since, I resided 
in a part of Chenango county where the ridges that 
bounded the valleys were covered with pine, on a soil 
deemed capable of producing nothing more valuable 
than whortleberry bushes and sweet fern, and which 
could not be made to repay the expense of cultivation 
At that time, some of these pine ridges in a very dry 
season, were burned over with a conflagration truly 
dreadful ; every thing on the surface that could burn 
was converted to ashes. An entire new growth of tim¬ 
ber speedily sprung up of maple, beech, some oak, &c., 
but no pines. A short time since, I had occasion to re¬ 
visit that neighborhood, and found the farmers were 
clearing the second growth of timber, and were putting 
in fine fields of wheat on these once pine hills, it being 
their best soil for growing that grain. Now I wish to 
know the nature of the changes which took place to de¬ 
stroy the tendency to the growth of pine, and fit it for 
the culture of wheat. A Farmer 
All soils where pine grows spontaneously, is found to 
abound in acids, whether derived from this substance 
which is known to exist in the leaves of this tree or ori¬ 
ginally in the soil, is not certainly known ; but it is 
found that close pine lands on first being cleared, 
rarely produce much grain, and all ordinary vege¬ 
tation is usually scarce in such places. All close tim¬ 
bered hemlock lands are similarly conditioned. There 
are two ways in which this acid may be neutralized or 
destroyed ; the first by the application of lime, and the 
second by burning over the vegetable matter on the sur¬ 
face of the earth ; the alkaline matter thus formed 
would have the effect of neutralizing the acid of the soil 
inducing a new variety of vegetation, timber trees or 
plants ; and thus preparing it for crops to which it was 
once unfit. It is well known that the practice at the 
south is to clear the pine lands, cultivate them with to 
bacco or cotton as long as they will pay the cost of cul 
ture, and then abandon them. They are speedily cov 
. ered with a dense growth of other kinds of timber 
which in its turn is again cleared for cultivation. Re¬ 
peated cropping the ground in this case seems to have 
done what burning over did in the other. The complete 
Change of timber that thus takes place on lands, and the 
manner in which they may be said to be seeded, consti¬ 
tutes one of the most curious questions in the whole 
range of vegetable physiology, not to say the most per¬ 
plexing. 
Saw Dust. 
J. S. of Little Britian, Pa., who is the owner of a saw 
mill, wishes to know if saw dust can in any way be con¬ 
verted into manure, so that the cost of doing it will not 
be greater than the value of the manure. If he has not 
abundance of straw, he may use saw dust to advantage 
as a litter for stables, piggeries, &c. , where, by absorb¬ 
ing the liquids of such places, it will make a valuable 
addition to the dung heap. It is used in this way by 
the Shakers at Canterbury, N. H., who think it prefer¬ 
able to straw as a litter for stables. 
Canada Thistles. 
Mr. Wm, Hotchkiss, Jr. of Pekin, Niagara county, 
in a note says, “ You will oblige your subscribers in 
this section of the country by ascertaining through your 
numerous correspondents what will effectually destroy 
the Canada thistle, which is rapidly spreading over 
many farms in this county. We should like to hear 
something from you on this subject.” 
We are convinced that to etlectually destroy the Ca¬ 
nada thistle is one of the most difficult processes of 
farming ; and that it is impossible to keep tilled lands 
free from its presence, while so many thousands of 
acres are annually allowed to go to seed, and thus spread 
the mischief as far as the winds can blow. The surest 
way to extirpate the thistle is to attack it, and dig it out 
thoroughly, for if the roots are not killed, all remains 
to be done over again. We have known thistles killed 
by mowing them closely three or four times in a season ; 
by hoeing crops planted among them as often as they 
appeared ; and by repeated plowings for summer fal¬ 
lows. Where there are only a few plants, cut each one 
a little below the surface, and apply a spoonful of salt ; 
but we < an assure all those who have the thistle on their 
farms, that unceasing vigilance will be required to 
check their progress. If any of our correspondents 
can point out a Avay to effectually destroy this greatest 
of pests, we shall be most happy to lay it before our 
readers. •— 
Building Mill Bams. 
“ W. J. W.” of Milford Mills, in a letter to us says, 
Having recently lost my mill dam by the late freshet 
ice, which frequently happens in this county, I should 
be pleased to avail myself of the experience of some of 
your valuable subscribers, upon the subject of the best 
mode of building mill dams, with reference to durabili¬ 
ty and cheapness, together with any uselul information 
on the subject.” 
The immense losses sustained the present season, by 
the loss of dams connected with mills and public works, 
hows that the topic suggested by our correspondent is 
an important one, and we hope some of our friends 
competent to the task will give the desired information 
through our columns. 
Benj. Clinamen of Lanca ster county . Pa. thus writes 
us respecting the progress of agriculture in that district. 
“ Andrews’ Bridge, 1st mo. 1841.—The appearance of 
stock is much better than it was a few years back. A 
slight intermixture of Devon and Durham is improving 
the cattle, and a few Berkshires lately introduced are 
destined, as I hope, to revolutionize our hogs. Spring 
wheat has been sowed to some extent, but without very 
flattering success. Dutton and Sioux corn, I and some 
others have tried, but with us the yield is inferior to the 
yellow gourd. Ruta bagas have succeeded well in some 
cases but not with me. I last spring planted 40 for 
seed, and four-fifths of the whole were destroyed by a 
small while worm at the root; and a patch I planted 
for winter use shared the same fate. Do you know of 
a preventive ?* The sugar beet does well, generally, 
and many are beginning to esteem it a matter of inte¬ 
rest to grow it. White is considered the best variety, 
the white or the yellow?! There are a few hereabout 
who are firm believers in the plan of putting manure 
under the soil in the spring ; but the great majority can 
only be persuaded by demonstration that the ‘ good 
old way’ can be superseded by a better one.” 
I obtained the seed some four years since, in Farm¬ 
ington Conn, where it lias been cultivated time imme¬ 
morial. Meal made from this corn is much esteemed 
for its bright yellow color, high flavor and sweetness. 
No. 3 —White Flint.—T his is an early eight row¬ 
ed variety—excellent for the table, when green ; is ex¬ 
tensively cultivated in this country for a crop ; grows 
about nine feet high ; stalks of medium size ; cob not 
large, yields well, ripens early, but makes indifferent 
No. 4 .—Michigan Dent—T his has a large sized cob 
of medium length—sixteen rows— kernels long and in¬ 
dented, somewhat resembling the horse-tooth or gourd 
seed corn of the south—color inclining to lemon- 
grain light; stalks large and reaching twelve feet in. 
height ; does not yield well, nor did it ripen with me. 
No. 5.— Trieste.— This is a twelve rowed variety ; 
ears from five to seven inches long ; large at the butt, 
and tapering to the point; of a bright orange color ; the 
ears are covered with more and a tougher husk than 
any other variety I know of. 
The seed was obtained from a cargo brought from 
Trieste—hence its name, “ Trieste Corn.” I have on¬ 
ly cultivated it one season, and cannot, therefore, form 
an opinion, whether it would, after being acclimated, 
prove a profitable variety or not. My impressions are 
unfavorable to it. It grew high, stalks large and much 
inclined to fall. 
No. 6. — Sqaw or Pop Corn.— This is a very small 
twelve rowed, fancy variety, of a brown color—cob 
short and conical, kernels small and hard—stalks small 
and grow from five to six feet high ; is generally culti¬ 
vated for parching or “ popping.” 
No. 7.— Variegated. —This appears to be a mixture 
or cross of the squaw corn with some other variety cf 
yellow corn. 
FARM IMPLEMENTS. 
Drills and Drill Culture. 
In pursuance of our intention to lay before our read¬ 
ers in successive numbers of the Cultivator, examples 
of the most useful implements in their most approved 
varieties, avc this month present specimens of the drill, 
which, though it has not come into as extensive use in 
this country "as in Europe, has been sufficiently used to 
establish its claim to being one of the most important 
labor-saving machines yet invented for the farmer. 
Tavo causes have conspired to prevent the general use 
of the drill among us ; first, the little attention root cul¬ 
ture has received from the great mass of our farmers ; 
and secondly, the imperfect state of our tillage, both 
Avhich causes must gradually disappear, as a more per¬ 
fect and profitable husbandry is introduced. 
Jethro Tull considered himself the inventor of Drill 
Husbandry, but the drill was knoAvn in Britain 200 
years before Tull, and applied at that time to a use to 
which Tull was a stranger, but which gives it its great¬ 
est value, the drilling in of manures Avith the seed sown. 
The system of Tull and his folloAvers, hoAvever, main¬ 
taining as they did, that by sufficient working and pul- 
\ r erization of the soil, its fertility might be kept up for 
an indefinite period, Avas admirably adapted to the use 
of the drill, as its efficiency is always in a great mea¬ 
sure depending on the fineness of the soil. The drill 
made but slow progress in Britain, and it xvas not 
until the extensive introduction of the turnep culture 
into Norfolk, and the splendid success of Mr. Coke, 
noAV Lord Leicester, that its merits as an agricultural 
implement Avere generally allowed. 
It is but quite lately that its value as a distributor of 
the poAverful modern manures, such as rape or oil cake 
dust, bones, animalized carbon, and particularly pou- 
drette, or prepared night soil, has been understood or 
appreciated. The assertion of Lord Kaimes “ that the 
time Avould arrive when. the farmer could carry the ma¬ 
nure for a field crop in his pocket,” has not yet been 
fully realized ; but it seems to be in a much fairer way 
for its accomplishment than the prediction of John, his 
lordship’s ploAvman, Avhich was, “ that when the ma¬ 
nure was carried out in one pocket, the crop could be 
brought home in the other as the increase of crops 
has thus far kept pace Avith the concentration and di¬ 
rect application of manures. 
The drill has been of late used extensively in some 
parts of Britain for soAving broadcast, and a figure and 
description of the implement used for this purpose 
Specimens of Indian Cora. 
Catalogue of several specimens of Indian Corn , cultiva¬ 
ted by C. N. Bement, and presented to the Editors of 
the Cultivator , Jan. 1841. 
No. 1.— Dutton. —This variety of yellow twelve 
rowed corn, is so Avell known that it requires no de¬ 
scription. 
No. 2.— King Philip. —So called from the celebrated 
Indian Chief, “ Philip, King of the Wampanoags.” 
It is a yellow, eight rowed flint variety, small kernels 
and very small cob. It is a hardy plant, belonging to 
a high latitude ; grows to about nine feet in height; 
stalks small; ears from 9 to 12 inches in length. It has 
always ripened, Avith me, as early as the Dutton. 
* Our turneps have never suffered in this way, but as the 
worm is probably the small white one found in highly ma¬ 
nured ground, it is likely that a handful of new ashes stirred 
in with the soil around the roots would operate favorable. 
t The White Siberian , is usually considered as containing 
the most sugar; an*l this is doubtless the proper test ol value. 
may be found in Prof. Loav’s Practice of Agriculture. 
The machine is made to sow a breadth of sixteen feet, 
and distributes the seed Avith an evenness and regularity 
not easily attainable Avhen the seed is scattered by the 
hand. Every farmer is aware that much of the good¬ 
ness of the crop is depending on the proper distribution 
of the seed, and it is found that a much smaller quan- 
tity of seed put in with the drill, although not in drills, 
will give an equal number of thrifty plants, Avith a 
greater quantity put in more irregularly ; and that the 
ground Avill be occupied more fully in the former than 
in the latter case. 
The great desideratum in a drill, is the poAver of de¬ 
livering the seeds regularly; at the precise distances 
required ; in no greater quantities than are required for 
fully seeding the ground; not failing in depositing the 
seeds ; and simplicity and durability in its parts. Drills 
are very apt, either to deliver too great quantities, and 
thus Avaste the seed soavii ; or to clog and not deliver 
any, thus rendering the plants irregular, or perhaps 
wholly disappointing the hopes of the planter. In 
