72 
THE CULTIVATOR 
the meat, such as burying it in salt, oats, &c. covering 
it with canvass bags, plastering it with ashes, &c. ; 
would, of course, be equally effectual. 
Never wound your meat until you use it, for the fly 
will be sure to deposit its eggs in the wounds. A 
friend of mine lost a number of hams last summer, in 
consequence of his wife’s thrusting a knife into them to 
ascertain their quality. 
To preserve meat well, a smoke-house should be 
roomy, dry, cool, and dark, and yet sufficiently open to 
permit a free circulation of air, otherwise your bacon 
will be soft, damp, and rancid. On this account, wood¬ 
en smoke-houses are greatly preferable to those con¬ 
structed of brick and stone. 
It is a great, yet very prevalent error, to smoke ba¬ 
con in wet and damp weather ; for by smoking it at such 
seasons, the “ sweat ” which then collects upon the meat, 
and which has a peculiarly disgusting taste, is driven 
into it and dried upon it, and impairs its flavor. Smoke 
only in dry weather. If your meat is well cured, the 
only use of smoking in summer time, is to expel the fly 
from the house. 
If any of your readers smack their lips as heartily as 
I do over a good old Virginia ham , that fairly melts in 
your mouth, they will not fail to observe these plain di¬ 
rections for the preservation of their bacon. 
As my sheet is not quite full, I will add a word on 
another subject. 
Passing recently by the farm of a distinguished agri¬ 
culturist of this county, I espied on one side of the lane, 
the grim carcasses of a brace of calves, from whose na¬ 
ked skeletons a flock of voracious crows were vainly 
endeavoring to tear a scanty repast. Now, Messrs. 
Editors, I beg leave to inquire most respectfully, whe¬ 
ther, in your opinion, the most economical mode of car¬ 
rying those useful animals (carrion crows) through the 
winter, is, by feeding them on veal ? or whether it would 
not be better policy in our farmers, though not perhaps 
so patriotic or public spirited, to give their calves a 
small quantity of bran or meal daily in the fall to put 
them in order to go through the winter—to sow a patch 
of rye in August or September, for winter and spring 
pasture for them—and to house comfortably, and feed 
well with fine hay and meal in cold and inclement wea¬ 
ther? If our farmers would pursue this course, they 
would have in the spring vigorous, well grown, thrifty 
calves, that would soon come to maturity ; instead of a 
miserable remnant of poor, weak, stinted, lousy skele¬ 
tons, that are a disgrace to the flock. Take good care 
of your young stock of all kinds ! If you must neglect 
any, let it be the old and vigorous, rather than the young 
and tender. CORNELIUS C. BALLWIN. 
Rockbridge co. Virginia, March , 1841. 
“American Society of Agriculture.” 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I have this morning 
been carefully perusing the communications of Messrs. 
Robinson, Garnett and Gordon ; all excellent, and 
beyond my faint praise, and I trust they are not alone ; 
Mr. Gordon’s views are nearly identical with my own, 
as communicated to Judge Buel years since, and to you 
in my last. In regard to a National School, we dill’er 
only in details ; to prevent confusion, let all details be 
omitted for the present, and prepare for a convention, 
to deliberate on our country’s best interests. It would be 
desirable to have each State and Territory represented, 
but I would not be particular in following geographical 
lines, congressional districts, or old obsolete paths ; let 
the convention come together from a pure regard to the 
cause ; and to the end that this may be done, and well 
done, you must reflect that you were early pointed out, 
after the death of the lamented Buel, to fill his place, 
(and I know by whom,) and you, following the leadings 
of Providence, as Mft. Lawrie Todd would say, are now 
looked up to by the farming interest of this country as 
their organ and leaders ; I pray you then, rid yourselves 
of your diffidence, follow the wishes of your friends, 
charge all miscarriages to them if you will, but let us 
have the convention coming through your call. Who 
knows better who to call? No one. Let it be made 
general from your paper if you Will, or ask advice from 
one or more of your correspondents in the different sec¬ 
tions of our country who will be likely to attend, and 
promote this great cause, to whom you can send your 
circulars of invitation, and receive from them answers 
as pledges of attendance ; and if no more are present 
than your friends Robinson, Garnett, Gordon, and I 
know Mr. Ellsworth will be there, with your friend from 
near Boston, you may expect no injury will be done 
the cause, but much good may result from such a con¬ 
vention. Relying on your aid, I enclose you ten dollars 
to form a nucleus in defraying the early expenses, and 
trusting you will be fully sustained in all your doings, 
save your extreme diffidence, I subscribe myself your 
friend, Near Boston. 
Cure for Blind Staggers. 
Editors of the Cultivator —Your correspondent 
R. L. asks ,—“ Is there no remedy for diseases in 
swine,” and states his loss of a number of valuable 
hogs by the Blind Staggers. The remedy for that dis¬ 
ease is simple, and has been used with great success. I 
once had 17 shoats taken down in one day with the 
Blind Staggers. My family supposed they had been 
poisoned. I secured each one with a rope around his 
upper jaw, so as to keep his head still, and with a sharp 
knife made an incision in the forehead about 2 inches in 
length. I then loosened up the skin on each side of the 
cut, and filled the place full of fine salt—nothing more. 
F ourteen out of the 17 were well the next day. I have tried 
it repeatedly, and always with success, when taken in 
season. Care should be taken to cut only the skin and 
not let the knife touch the bone. Charcoal is cleansing, 
and a good preventive, but I apprehend not a powerful 
remedy. Respectfully yours, WM. THURBER. 
Cramton, R. I. March 17, 1841. 
Boot Steamers, &c. 
Messrs. Editors —In the Feb. number of the Cultivator, 
your correspondent “ R.” has atempted to make himself a 
little witty at my expense. Although he is well known to me, 
he may not be to all the readers of this paper, and I do not 
approve of these attacks in the dark, and now enter my solemn 
protest against it. When names are called, let the names of 
the writers be given, and not stand behind the curtain and 
launch forth their sportive arrows, regardless of consequences. 
I was not aware, until your correspondent “ R.” informed 
me, that I was “one of the committee on modern inventions,” 
nor that I had erected a steam boiler on the “scientific prin¬ 
ciple of exposing the least possible surface to the action of the 
fire, to procure in the smallest space of time and with the least 
expenditure of fuel, the greatest quantity of steam.” Nor do 
I recollect of ever having recommended “ a wooden box and 
sheet iron bottom” for steaming vegetables. But I do recol¬ 
lect ol having some private conversation with him on the sub¬ 
ject. The one I have had in operation, and the one which I 
presume he alludes to, was for boiling and not for steaming, 
and answered a very good purpose while it lasted. It was not 
used during the summer, and when we commenced using it 
in the fall it leaked so much that I was obliged to abandon it. 
I must confess I was not a little surprised that R., 
abounding as he does in scientific knowledge, should ever at¬ 
tempt to raise steam in so frail a vessel as a“ wooden box, with 
a sheet-iron bottom.” 
The apparatus described by your worthy correspondent, 
Solon Robinson, Esq. is quite a different thing from the one 
described by R. 
As evidence of what I said in recommendation of Robin¬ 
son’s Steamer, I would beg leave to call your attention to the 
following, from a letter I lately received from a gentleman whu 
has one in use: “ I have,” says he, “one of Robinson’s Root 
Steamers in operation and it works admirably well; the door 
shuts snug and tight, and requires no weight to hold it, nor is 
it necessary to raise high to cook potatoes. After the steam 
raises so that we can see it forcing through the sides of the 
door, we stop putting in fuel, spread the coals over the bot¬ 
tom, shut the mouth of the furnace tight, and in fifteen mi¬ 
nutes they are completely cooked. The only fault 1 find with 
this steamer is, it takes too much wood; still it saves a vast 
deal of labor, and I prefer it to any other I have seen.” 
As regards “Mott’s Agricultural Furnace' and Cauldron,” 
I have only to say, that “ a further trial” has confirmed me in 
my first opinion, and the only objection to the one I have is, 
that it is too small for my establishment. 
In recommending this boiler I had no particular “ consi¬ 
deration for the inventor” in view; nor did I wish to “ with¬ 
hold from the public a knowledge of defects.” I found one 
in Albany and had the privilege of trying it—by paying $21, 
and I have no doubt but the same privilege would be granted 
to others, should they make application. 
I would beg leave to call the attention of the inventor to the 
following query by R. “ Would it not be an advantage to have 
the rim of the cauldron so cast as to admit a close cover or a 
steamer to set close over it ? and why not have points of at¬ 
tachment cast on the boiler sc that it may, with a small crane 
or lever, be raised from the stove, and ks contents ‘ upset’ in a 
‘receiver’ ?" 
A very similar question is asked by another correspondent 
as follows : “Now, sir, my object in writing to you, is to in¬ 
quire whether one of those Agricultural Furnaces (Mott’s) 
with amauklron that would hold three pails of water would 
be sufficient to steam fifteen bushels of roots ? the cauldron 
to have a tight cover and a steam pipe leading into one of 
Robinson’s Steamers, would, I think, be far preferable to either 
separately.” 
I approve of the above suggestions and have no doubt of 
their practicability, and recommend them to the favorable no¬ 
tice of Mr. Mott. 
Before closing this long, and to many uninteresting essay, I 
will remark, that in my experience, I have never been success- 
full in steaming vegetables, and have adopted the “old fash¬ 
ioned way of boiling potatoes,” and am “ best satisfied with 
it,” and if R. has mistook “steaming” for “ boiling,”—it is his 
fault, not mine, and if his disappointment has been great, I can 
only say, I regret it. CALEB N. BEMENT. 
A Challenge. 
Butternuts, March 18, 1841. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I sometimes get a peep at 
the Cultivator, and am sure to find something good in it, 
though I am no book farmer, as you may pretty well know by 
this. The last paper said pretty considerable much about 
Herefords being good milkers. I am myself an old country¬ 
man, but never heard of Hereford cheese or Hereford butter; 
but I know a great deal of Welsh butler is eaten in Hereford¬ 
shire. Now if you think so much of the Herefords for milk, 
I will go into a fifty dollar sweep-stakes with Mr. Sotham, 
[money in your hands by the 25th of this month,] with a 
Short Horn pure bred heifer, now under my care, in calf with 
her first calf, against any other untried heifer of the Hereford 
breed of pure blood not calved at the time of accepting my 
challenge. The heifers to be milked at some agreed time for 
six successive days, and the milk weighed on the spot in pre¬ 
sence of our respective friends, twice a day, who will attend at 
fixed hours for milking; and the greatest amount of milk giv¬ 
en in the 6 days will decide the question. 
No rule is without an exception, and there may be one 
good milker in a herd of Herefords, but if Mr. Sotham has 
confidence in the breed of his cows, let him take a heifer and 
trust to her blood and good family milking. 
I will name to you the heifer Dahlia, a red roan wow in calf 
to Archer, with her first calf—daughter of Daisy—g. d. Yel¬ 
low Rose—g- g. d. Arabella. Some of your readers will know 
those cows, and the heifer is too well known to allow of any 
mistake being made as to which is the animal. 
The heifers to be milked, I should say from the first Mon¬ 
day in June 7th to Saturday night. 12th. 
Mr. Alexander has a heifer now with her first call, over a 
month old, and now gives eleven quarts a day more than her 
calf than take. If any body doubts, try him with a challenge. 
If you think me pretty short in my time, it is that, if accept¬ 
ed, it shall be done while Mr. Sotham is as ignorant of my 
heifer, as I am of his. It is enough that she is an untried 
heifer in calf with her first calf. 
If he accepts my challenge to a sweep-stakes, let him plank 
the money, and show you and some friend you may take with 
you, the heifer. Yours, &c., I. MILLER. 
March .20.—-Dahlia calved this morning. It is before her 
time; but I think it won’t hurt her, though it is too long a time 
before the trial; but I live in a cold country, and we have but 
little grass till June. 
Experiments with Poudrette. 
D. K. Minor, agent of the New-York Poudrette 
Company, has furnished us a communication on its use, 
by a gentleman from Pelliamdale, which we are obliged 
to condense ; merely remarking that we think this ma¬ 
nure one of the most valuable kind, and hope the com¬ 
panies preparing it, will receive ample encouragement, 
as we are sure it is deserved. 
J. H. Esq. says—“ I consider it superior to any ma¬ 
nure I have ever used. On potatoes, the seed and soil 
being the same, those manured with poudrette came up 
four days the earliest, maintained their ascendancy 
throughout the season, and gave the greatest and best 
product. For corn there is no other manure that can 
come in competition with it. I planted a fortnight af¬ 
ter my neighbors had planted, yet in three weeks my 
corn was farther advanced than any near me. There 
was less soft corn than I have ever had in proportion to 
the quantity of good corn. It was planted about the 
28th of May, and cut up and removed the 1st of Septem¬ 
ber. As a top drossing to grass it is invaluable. I had sow¬ 
ed some grass seeds in October ; but in March there was 
little or none to be seen. I had the ground raked, some 
poudrette spread lightly over it, and half the usual quan¬ 
tity of clover seed sown on it. The effect was truly as¬ 
tonishing. It was cut in June, and August, and partin 
October, and remained fresh and green till snow fell. 
For turneps, I know poudrette to be almost a certain 
guard against the fly. Mine this year, were as fine as 
were ever raised in this county, while many about have 
failed. I put the poudrette on the drill after the turnep 
seed, the quantity very small, looking like a train of 
gJiin powder. For cucumbers and melons, &c., I think 
poudrette mixed with peat earth the best manure I have 
tried ; I raised very fine watermelons on sand, with 
this compost the past season.” 
To Correspondents. 
Though we have used in part a smaller type, and devoted a 
larger portion of our paper than usual to the favors of our cor¬ 
respondents, we find ourselves unable to insert several, which 
we had intended to give in this number; among these are the 
favors of Mr. Weems, Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Morris, “ L. B.” 
Mr. Marks, “ N. N. D.,” Mr. Tomlinson, Senex, Mr. Du¬ 
rand, “ M. Y. T.” and others, which shall have a place in 
whole or in part in our next paper. Several other communi¬ 
cations are also already filed for insertion as early as possible, 
among which we may mention those of Mr. Seely, Mr Gar¬ 
nett, Mr. Tilgiiman, Mr. Breck, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Matiier, 
Mr. Westfall, Mr. Nichols, Mr. Diehl, Mr. Stevenson, J. 
F. L., &c. 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
To our Patrons—State Ag. Society—Hereford Prize Cowl 
—Acknowledgments'—Bone Manure—Am. Society of > 57 
Agriculture,.) 
Work for the Month—Ayrshire Cows—Correspondence ) gg 
Condensed Correspondence and Inquiries,... 59 
N. Y. S. Ag. Society—Loss of Weight in Drying Grasses, 69 
Monthly Notices—County Agricultural Societies—Crops I 
and their Value from Five Acres—Farm Implements— > 61 
The Harrow,. .. ) 
Description of Harrows, with cuts,.. 62 
Dictionary of Ag. Terms—The Plow, &c.,. 63 
Improvement of Lands—Yards for Animals, by Z.) 
Drummond —The Farmer’s Cottage House, by S. W. > 64 
Jewett,. j 
Zea Maize, by S. Akerly —Feeding of Silk Worms, by Y 
Rev. D. Lamb —American Society of Agriculture, by > 65 
S. Robinson, .. ) 
Tagging and Washing Sheep, by L. A. Morrell —Let -) gg 
ters from the West, No. 5, by A. B. A-,. ..> 
Comparative Value of Horses, Mules and Oxen, by R. L.) gy 
Allen,. ) 
The Short Horns and Herefords, by H. S. Randall —t 
Brown Corn, by Another Subscriber—Cure for Infect- > 68 
ed Kidneys in Hogs, by L. P.,. ) 
Breeding and Management of Poultry, by C. N. Bement, 69 
Management of Bees by J. M. Weeks— Produce of J 
Three Acres, by C. Allen —Indian Corn, by E. Shel- ^ 70 
don —Winter Butter, by W. S. Wait,. 
The Sugar Beet, by A. B. Allen —The Hessian Fly, by) 
R. K. Tuttle —Rohan and Silver Lake Potatoes, bv B. } yj 
P. Johnson —Preservation of Bacon and Wintering j 
American Society of Agriculture, by Near Boston —Cure) 
for Blind Staggers, by Wm. Thurber —Root Steamers, 1 yg 
&c., by C. N. Bement —A Challenge, by I. Miller, j 
Experiments with Poudrette,. ..J 
Illustrations in this Number. 
Fig. 25.—Mr. Prentice’s Short Horn Bull, “Leopard,”... 60 
Figs. 32-3.—Geddes’ Improved Harrow,.62 
Fig. 34.—Wilbur’s Improved Harrow,. 62 
Fig. 35.—English Double Harrow,. 62 
Fig. 36.—Conklin’s Revolving Press Harrow,. 62 
Fig. 37.—Cattle Yards, Pens, &c,. 64 
Ffos. 38-9.—Ground Plan and Elevation of Farmer’s Cot¬ 
tage, . ®4 
Fig. 40.—Plan of Chambers for Farmer's Cottage,. 65 
Fig. 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 —Poultry House, Feeding and Wa¬ 
ter Fountains and Tent Cood, . 69 
