mam 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
51 
Cobble Stone Buildings. 
The first cobble stone buildings that I remember to 
have seen, were at Pittsford in Monroe county, nearly 
twenty years ago ; and from the rude appearance of the 
work at that time, I have supposed the art was then m 
its infancy ; but perhaps some gentleman of that neigh¬ 
borhood will furnish a sketch of its history. 
About six years ago the first building of that descrip¬ 
tion was erected in this quarter, one mile east of Auro¬ 
ra ; and in my opinion the walls are more beautiful 
than brick. The beauty of such structures however, 
will mainly depend on the size and color of the stone, 
though the color of the sand will have an influence. 
If the stone and sand are both dark colored, the build¬ 
ing will have a lurid aspect; for the proportion of lime 
in the mortar (one-eighth or oneminth) is too small to 
whiten it sufficiently ; but if the sand be a light gray, 
the contrast of colors with dark stone, will be pleas- 
^Cobble stone of any size not exceeding six inches in 
diameter, may be used ; but for the regular courses on 
the outside, those of two inches in diameter should be 
preferred. Small stones give the building a much neat¬ 
er aspect. Two inch stones are very neat, though 
three inch stones will answer. The inside row of 
stones may be twice as large as those on the outside. 
The mortar is composed of one bushel of fresh stone 
lime to eight or nine bushels of clean sharp sand As 
the strength of the building depends on the goodness 
of the mortar, it is very important that sand of the first 
quality should be obtained. Yellow sand, or any sand 
that contains clay, should be rejected. Gray sand is 
sometimes found so pure as not to discolor the water into 
which it is thrown; and such should be procured if 
practicable. . 
Mortar that has been made some weeks is generally 
preferred. Some masons are particular to reduce the 
lime to a thin paste, and then while it is hot to apply the 
Sa T d lie thickness of the wall is sixteen inches, though 
twelve inches will answer very well for the gable ends 
above the garret floor. , 
When the foundation, or cellar wall, is leveled and 
prepared, a layer of two (or two and a half) inches of 
mortar is spread over it; and the stones are pressed in- 
to the mortar in tivo rows which mark the outside and 
the iiiside of the wall, leaving about an inch between 
each adjoining stone in the same row. > If the wall is 
to be grouted, the two rows are formed into two ridges 
by filling the vacancies between the stones with mortar, 
and the space between these two ridges (about a foot in 
width) is filled with such stones as are not wanted for 
the regular courses. The grout is then applied. If the 
wall is not to be grouted however, the mortar should 
be carefully pressed round every stone, making the wall 
solid without flaw or interstice. When one course is 
leveled begin another. 
Between every two adjoining courses on the outside, 
some have the mortar to project as far out as the stones, 
in a regular line round the building. It is wrought to 
an edge with the trowel, and adds to the neatness as well 
as to the strength of the wall; for during this process 
the mortar is pressed round each stone ; and the smooth¬ 
er it is made, the stronger it will be, and the better will 
it resist disintegration. 
It has generally been the practice to have the corners 
formed of cut stone ; but in a two story building erected 
last season within a few miles of us, this expense* was 
avoided by rounding the corners, and using cobble 
stone. The cut stone is not the only saying by this 
plan, however, much of the mason’s time is consumed 
in laying such corner stones. 
On the first mentioned building, the workmen were 
employed by the day. Four walls, amounting to one 
hundred and forty-six feet in length, were commonly 
raised eighteen inches every day by three masons. 
This is a little short of ninety-nine cubic feet of wall, 
or six perches to each workman. Sometimes in damp 
weather they had to stop a while for the mortar to set. 
The building erected last season was contracted for by 
the perch at thirty-seven and a half cents; and half of this 
sum, additional, was allowed for the tender. The walls, 
however, were grouted—that is, all the interstices be¬ 
tween the stones .were filled with liquid mortar ; and 
this substance must have more time to set. For this 
reason not more than three courses a day can be laid in 
dry weather ; and not any when it is showery. 
It requires from ten to twelve bushels of sand to a 
perch besides the lime when made into mortar ; and 
cobble stones lie in a heap when thrown from the wag¬ 
on about as compactly as they do in the wall. 
If cobble stone buildings are as cheap as wood, as one 
of those proprietors believes, they will be much cheap¬ 
er in the long run ; and this will be evident when we 
consider the frequent paintings which are necessary to 
keep a frame house in decent repair. 
P. S. Since writing the above, I have received two 
communications from persons who have had cobble 
stone houses erected. One says, “ the thickness of the 
wall is measured from the outside of the stones. Pieces 
of timber, four by six inches and turn feet long, are used 
for setting the lines. These are laid in the course just 
finished, and the line is drawn through saw-cuts just 
sixteen inches apart.” 
The other says, “ the cost of cobble is about one- 
sixth less than brick ; and pr obably one-quarter or one- 
* Estimated at one hundred and fifty dollars, but then the 
hauling would have formed no inconsiderable item. 
third less than wood,—on the supposition that the 
stones may be had within a mile, and sand within two 
and a half miles.” It must be evident, however, 
that the expenses of cobble, brick, wood and stone, 
must differ considerably in different places, accord- 
ing to the prices of those materials and the dis- 
tances they have to be carried. D- T. 
Greatfield, Cayuga co. 1 mo. 21, 1841. 
On the Culture of Indian Corn. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker— I have sometimes 
thought I would contribute something to your columns, 
(if you deem it worthy,) the result of my operations, 
but having kept no regular account, I cannot be veiy 
minute. In the cultivation of Indian corn, my practice 
is, deep plowing, late in the fall, of sward ground ; and 
during the winter give it a dressing of lime of from 50 
to 75 bushels per acre ; in the spring apply the harrow 
as early as possible, and continue it occasionally until 
planting, which is the last of April or 1st of May. I 
use a variety of large white dented corn. During the 
season of cultivation, I am carelul never to plow through 
the sod. I use the plow and cultivator alternately ; 
am careful to leave but three stalks in a hill. My crop 
varies from 100 to 125 bushels of ears per acre. 
After using the cultivator the last time, I sow my 
corn field with the common flat turnep and always have 
a good crop. 
Value of the Sugar Beet. 
Last year I planted a few rods less than half an acre 
of sugar beet, and had 327 bushels of fine roots, weigh¬ 
ing about 9 tons, and their effect on my cows is truly 
gratifying. I have three cows that had calves last I eb- 
ruary, and that will again calve next March, to which 
I give 2 bushels of beets a day with hay and corn stalks, 
that now yield us an abundant supply of milk and but¬ 
ter, without any appearance of drying, and doubtless 
will continue until we stop the beets, and are in fine or¬ 
der. I took an old cow, late in the season, very thin in 
flesh, which I fed almost entirely on beets, with a little 
meal toward the last, and made a fine beef of her. 
I gave a full supply of beets to my fatting hogs, and 
never slaughtered better, and with so little grain. I am 
now feeding them to my store hogs ; they are in fine 
condition and grow fast. In all cases I feed them law. 
Notwithstanding what was said against their use m the 
Cultivator, I am decidedly of the opinion, that there is 
no article now in use that will produce an equal amount 
of feed from the acre. I have never used them alone 
in fattening animals, but this I know, I have never used 
so little grain in fattening my animals, and never had 
better. 
I cultivate 18 acres of land, and will try the coming 
season to give you some account of my operations a lit 
tie more in detail. 
One word to farmers in general. Do no more than 
you can do well. Farms in general are too large ; moie 
cattle are kept than are kept well. I am clearly con- 
vinced that it is much better to raise 100 bushels of 
corn from an acre than fifty. It is better to have a cow 
give 12 quarts of milk a day, and continue the year 
through, than to give 5 quarts a day for 7 months. 
= ’ D. C. OSBORN. 
Westfield , N. J. Jan. 23, 1841. 
Farming: on the Prairies. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker— The following hints 
on agriculture were received from a farmer of expe¬ 
rience, and are communicated with the hope that they 
may be useful to the farmers of Illinois, many of whom 
are subscribers to your valuable work. 
In plowing new 'prairie, the sod or sward is usually 
turned to the depth of from four to six inches, and from 
twelve to twenty inches wide. It is important that the 
sod be laid as level as possible in the preceding furrow. 
The plow beam is usually attached to an axle support¬ 
ed by two wheels ; sometimes the fore wheels of a 
wagon are used. One wheel should be so adjusted as 
to run on the middle of the sod last turned, and should 
be of cast iron or otherwise made heavy, so as to press 
the sod firmly down. The circumference may be set 
with sharp irons in the form of an axe blade, which will 
cut holes about four inches long, three inches deep, 
and about two feet apart, for the reception of the seed 
corn ; this will save one-half the labor of planting ; 
and the corn coming up in the middle of the sod, will 
not be so likely to suffer from the grass and weeds usu¬ 
ally springing from the edges of the sod. My friend 
suggests that many advantages would be derived by 
leveling the surface of new land with a heavy roller. 
He says that by plowing to the depth of six or eight 
inches and rolling before or immediately after planting, 
the ground would be fix for the plow as soon as the corn 
comes up, and that thereby a large crop may be rais¬ 
ed the first season. That the grain would immediately 
strike root into the soil beneath the sod,and that the nox¬ 
ious gasses evolved by the decaying vegetable matter 
would be confined in the ground or nourish the crop, in¬ 
stead of producing disease in the vicinity. The opinion is 
pre valent in Illinois that large tracts of new broke prai¬ 
rie are productive sources of disease to the settlers near 
them, especially if the summer be rainy and warm. 
Should these hints enable any of our farmers to save 
a few day’s labor in planting—to raise a good crop 
of grain, and at the same time preserve the health of 
himself and family, he will please communicate the re¬ 
sult of his experience to the editor of the Cultivator. 
Carthage, Illinois, Jan. 15, 1841. C. 
State Aid to Agriculture. 
Messrs. Editors —I have read with pleasure the 
communications in the last number of the Cultivator, on 
the subject of “ Legislative Aid to Agriculture,” and 
most cordially approve of the objects therein suggested. 
Permit me through the columns of your invaluable jour, 
nal to second the efforts of those gentlemen by recom- 
mending prompt, simultaneous, and energetic action by 
every Agricultural Society in our State. _ Let memori¬ 
als to the Legislature be circulated, praying for the or¬ 
ganization of a State Board of Agriculture, and partic¬ 
ularly for appropriations, to be used m awarding pre¬ 
miums at the annual Fairs of the County Societies. One 
or two hundred dollars to each Society will be adequate 
to their wants ; and after the proper spirit is aroused, 
I question whether any aid from the State will be need¬ 
ed. But at present in the infant state of these associa¬ 
tions, that spirit is lacking, and the duty of a few indi¬ 
viduals in obtaining subscriptions to constitute a pre- 
mium fund is very onerous. Very many farmers refuse 
to enrol themselves as members, because they have 
nothing to exhibit at the Fairs which stands a chance 
of obtaining a premium, as a dollar they think is too 
much for the “ sight.” Now the only way to bring this 
class into the fold, and it is a tremendous majority, is 
to let them see the “ pig” for nothing. But the Ques¬ 
tion very naturally arises, who is to pay the piper ? Why 
at present, comparatively a very few public spirited in- 
dividuals are obliged to do it. This is a left handed 
sort of monopoly, or aristocratic privilege, which does 
not exactly comport with republican institutions, and 
had better end forthwith. But let the State do it, and 
it will at once act upon that great and fundamental prin¬ 
ciple of good government, under any form of “ confer¬ 
ring the greatest good on the greatest number. It will 
be no "ift, but a quid pro quo , and the best bargain the 
State ever made, for we solemnly promise to return 
what we receive to her ample lap with quadruple interest. 
But a deaf ear has been turned to our former suppli¬ 
cations, and I am now clear for demanding it as a right, 
and no longer obsequiously asking it as a favor. We 
uniformly receive a polite, passing bow, from all our. 
chief magistrates in their messages, and a frigid report 
ekes from a committee of lawyers at the tail of each 
session, and there is the “ be all and end all.” The 
farmer is indeed the “ patient ox,” w ho has to beat the 
burdens of taxation, and the evils of bad legislation 
more than any other class ; but let public men bewaie, 
for his patience may become exhausted, and that he 
carries heels which will kick strongly when treated un¬ 
gratefully. Now, let every farmer through the length 
and breadth of the State, put a mark on the members 
of the present Legislature who give negative votes to 
the prayers of our petitions, and then nows verrons. I 
have no notion, Messrs. Editors, of using soft soap and 
sugar candy in this matter any longer. Let us act bold- 
ly witli unanimity 7 and with becoming spirit^ and our 
washes will be complied with, and not without. A gen¬ 
tle rap at the door is useless. Why the deafness ascri¬ 
bed to the adder is nothing to that of your officials af¬ 
ter their election. Thunder is the only thing that will 
make them hear ; this is fact, this is history, and ive 
the farmers, have got to use it, or my word for it our 
“ barrels will not be down till next week.” 
I would respectfully recommend the appointment of 
two or more individuals, residents of Albany, by the 
State Society, whose duty it shall be to urge our appli¬ 
cations from day to day to the members of the Legisla- 
ture; and furthermore let a strong memorial be pre¬ 
sented, which will doubtless have much weight, coming 
from the parent Society. 
I will conclude by saying that energetic measures will 
be adopted in this County, in furtherance of the above 
object, and our representatives will give it a cordial and 
strong support. 
Your friend, 
L. A. M. 
On the Culture of Wheat. 
Messrs. Editors— Believing that I have received a 
good deal of benefit from reading the experiments of 
others, I am willing to give the benefit ol wliat little 
experience I have had in farming, as a small requital to 
the contributors and readers of your paper, for what 
good I have obtained from it, and if by so doing I can 
add one new and useful idea to my brother farmers, I 
shall feel myself amply paid for my trouble. 
I set out by avowing my entire belief that the farmer 
makes his wheat freeze out, if it ever does so; the way he 
does it, is, by too early sowing, for when a wheat plant 
comes up so early in tiie fall as to have a large top it in¬ 
variably has one large and long root, commonly called 
“ a tap root,” that strikes deep into the ground, besides 
a number of small roots that reach about in the top of 
the ground in search of food. When the first frost 
comes, it raises up a thin part of the ground and from 
the large root being deep and the small ones much ex¬ 
tended in the surface, the little firm ground cannot slip 
up the top of the grain, but must either pull up or break 
the large or tap root, and if that root is broken (as I am 
satisfied is almost always the case,) the plant must die ; 
but if the wheat is sown later, and is only in “ the red” 
in the fall, when the first frost comes the ground will 
slip up the grain, without disturbing the “ tap root,” 
and when the deeper frost comes, it will bring the root 
all up, and in the spring when the ground settles, all 
goes down together, and the plant being whole, proceeds 
to grow, and none is frozen out. For the above reasons 
I have withheld sowing my wheat till in October, and 
have not had a rod of frozen out wheat in fifteen years. 
Hamburgh, New Jersey, Jan. 30, 1841. L 
