84 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Weight of the Berkshires. 
. Messrs. Editors In the April number of the Cultivator 
just at hand, I noticed the great weight of a lot of swine, a 
cross or the Berkshire on the Mackay, lately slaughtered by 
Mr. rhinney, of Massachusetts, as also the weight of pure 
Berlmhires bred by the Shakers of New Hampshire, which go 
to show, that when great size is wanted, it can be had from 
this very popular breed as well as another- In a late letter 
irom Munson Beach, Esq., a distinguished and spirited breed¬ 
er of various kinds of improved and domestic animals, in Le¬ 
banon, Ohio, I have the results of the crosses of the small¬ 
est prick ear Berkshire males, on the common hog of Warren 
County: 
“ Mr. Samuel Irons who resides in this county, has stood 
pre-eminent for twenty years as a breeder of fine nogs; he de¬ 
nied the further improvement of his breed by crosses with the 
Berkshires. His son, however, having procured a short fine 
boar of me, prevailed on the father to send a sow to him. He 
did so, but selected one of his poorest, evidently with the de- 
sign of disgracing the produce, when it came to be reared 
with his own favorite breed. The sow had nine pigs, two 
of the best of which were sold away for breeders, the other 
seven at twenty months old, averaged nett 435 lbs., while his 
own hogs six weeks older, and fed precisely as the cross of 
Berkshires were, averaged only 333 lbs. nett, being less ttian 
the former 102 lbs., or more than one-fourth less, upon at 
least an equal, if not a greater consumption of food. Mr. Ebe- 
nezer Hathaway slaughtered a lot of ten half Berkshires at 
twenty months old, that averaged nett 373J lbs.; and Mr. H. 
gives it as his opinion, that it cost him no more food, care, or 
attention, to get that weight, than it would have done with the 
common hogs he formerly had, to have grown 250 lbs. on an 
average nett. Messrs. Steddom and son had a lot of forty half 
to three-fourths bred Berkshires, which at sixteen to eighteen 
months old, averaged nett 350 lbs.; and these were the culls 
and runts, all the choice pigs having been sold for breeders. 
This lot of hogs was only grass fed during the summer months. 
Mr. Tache of Springboro, lately slaughtered a half Berk¬ 
shire, gross weight 900 lbs. nett 814 lbs.! Sufficient other in¬ 
stances of great weight, could be produced of the crosses of 
the Berkshires, to convince the most sceptical of their size, 
early maturity, facility and easiness of keep, were it neces¬ 
sary.” 
Mr. Michael L. Sullivant, of Columbus, Ohio, informs 
me that though possessing the best breed of large white hogs 
to be found in the State, probably a high cross of the Wo- 
burns and Leicesters, still the full bred Berkshires running at 
large with them, are the largest and in the best condition and 
apparently at a iess consumption of food. 
In addition to weights, I have plenty of evidence to show, 
short as their legs appear, that condition for condition, the 
Berkshires and their crosses beat all other hogs in traveling. 
I consider this as a very important point settled in the great 
West, for all the hogs have to be driven to market to be slaugh¬ 
tered, from a few miles up to many hundreds. A full bred 
Berkshire boar weighing 450 lbs. sold to Captain Simon Brad¬ 
ford, of Nashville, Tennessee, in a warm, dusty day, was 
driven 30 miles; others have been driven their 20 miles per 
day without effort; and I have myself seen them travel off 10 
and 15 miles in a few hours without the least apparent fatigue. 
John Mahard, Jr. Esq. of Cincinnatti, one of the most ex¬ 
tensive pork packers in the State, assures me that the crosses 
of Berkshires the past season from Kentucky and elsewhere, 
have invariably come to market with the most ease in travel¬ 
ing with large herds of other breeds. He does not recollect 
an instance of their giving out on the road, while he has re¬ 
peated details of animals doing so of other breeds in the drove. 
I believe all the above statements to be perfectly true, for 
they are derived from the most reputable men in the State; 
and were volunteered me without the slightest solicitation, 
and my only motive in making this communication, is to do 
away unfounded prejudices. It is easy enough to import wild 
boars from the forests of Germany, that will give fleet hounds 
a pretty sharp run ; and again we can cultivate the great Mi- 
ama hog, such as was grown by the late Mr- Saterthwaite of 
Wainsville, Ohio, weighing 1,400 lbs., but the question arises, 
are these the most profitable animals to the agriculturist? Dis¬ 
tinguished and scientific breeders say not, but request an ani¬ 
mal that will grow up in good condition on grass, roots and 
coarse grain offals, and fully fatten them with a two months’ 
feed on corn, and give a nett weight at sixteen to eighteen 
months age of 300 to 400 lbs. My own experience confirms 
all this, but my opinions have been so often protruded in the 
columns of the Cultivator, that it would be considered obtru¬ 
sive to add another word. Respectfully yours, 
A. B. ALLEN. 
Experiments in Maryland. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —In my experiments, as given 
in a communication published in volume 7, page 14, I stated 
that I would give the issue of another experiment upon a dif¬ 
ferent plan of cultivation to those in common use among us. 
Although I have not succeeded in making a hundred dollars 
to the acre, as I flattered myself, yet it may not be uninterest¬ 
ing to some of your readers to know the result. The lot, 
when measured by a line, made four and thirteen sixteenths 
of an acre, but at least five sixteenths should be deducted for 
ground lost on four sides used as turning ground, which would 
leave only four and a half acres on which the tobacco grew. 
As I have given the texture of the soil, I will only add that the 
north side of this lot, skirted by a body of large trees, is of a 
bluish clay so compact as not readily to receive moisture; there¬ 
fore when thoroughly wet, after long rains and hot suns, is 
liable to hardness. As soon as feeding time had passed in the 
spring, I hauled out all the manure I could gather in my little 
yard, and dry straw, which was thickly spread over two acres, 
beginning at the woods. I judge there was over 200 horse 
cart loads. Upon the remainder of the lot, I had carted about 
25 loads of black earth and oyster shells, partly decomposed; 
and spread in places to suit my judgment. It would be pro¬ 
per to say this lot the last year was' covered with a good crop 
of clover, which was not grazed until in bloom, and then only 
moderately so. This experiment in manure, like many oth¬ 
ers I have tried, did not accord with the views of scarcely any 
of the knowing ones around me, but to the contrary, to amuse 
and make merry at my folly, was the efFect. If you will suf¬ 
fer me for a moment to digress, I will ask the question, why 
is it that farmers generally are so much attached to old style 
and so averse to any thing new in the way of experiments ? 
Is it because they have reached perfection in their business ? 
The casual observer would say no; what then and why is it 
they refuse so obstinately to make use of the means actually 
in their way to enrich their farms, clear them of the cancer 
debt, and ever eating worm, interest, and ultimately to make 
them happy ? The answer could easily be given by those 
who have tried the matter to their own satisfaction. Would 
the self-conceited farmers read the agricultural works publish¬ 
ed among us, and have faith to believe their reports, and can¬ 
dor sufficient to admit truth, they would be constrained to say 
that experiments in tilling the soil, have been the means of 
agriculture keeping pace with arts and sciences, and doing 
her fml part in the improvements of the day. It should glad¬ 
den the heart of every American when he sees what has been 
done in this new country, towards the comfort and happiness 
ot man, by the issue of successful experiments. As a votary of 
choice and not of necessity to Agriculture, I feel willing to 
throw my mite in her behalf; ana as a proof of her profuse 
liberality, I will come to the point and state that the lot here 
described, was got in good order, checked off and hilled, ma¬ 
king 34,000, or about 7,500 to the acre, being near 2 feet apart. 
It was planted in tobacco in good time, during an excellent 
season; it took root and grew off finely. I had it worked 
once a week for six weeks with the hoe, plow and harrow, 
when I had to desist on account of the rapid growth, the 
eaves reaching from one to the other, which soon shaded the 
land, thereby retaining a moisture and preventing the growth 
of weeds. The success in part of my plan, I must attribute 
to the w’eekly stirring the land ; while my neighbors, who pur¬ 
sued a less difficult plan in the beginning, had more to con¬ 
tend with in the end, with less profit for their labor and pre¬ 
judice. I believe there was not 1,000 plants but what matu¬ 
red. I had it cut early, with as little waste as possible, and 
from 9 to 10 plants speared on a 4 foot stick, and the whole 
hung from 6 to 8 inches apart throughout a 60 feet tobacco 
house, 30 wide including the shed, which was built expressly 
for the crop. It may seem a large house for the product of 4J 
acres, but there were only 2 rooms in the 10 leet shed left va¬ 
cant. When cured, I was particular in having it wefehed. 
The gross arhount was 9,000 lbs., 1,000 less than I promised 
myself, but when I received my account of sales, the nett 
amount was 8,250 lbs., sold for $4.10, or $91.22 cents per acre, 
produced from the same lot on which I raised 22 bushels 
wheat and 60 bushels oats. 
I have by actual experiment, and to my own satisfaction, 
tried corn, oats, wheat and tobacco, and think I am prepared 
to judge ot the relative value of each crop produced from our 
soil. I will now give the gross amounts and expenses of my 
best crops upon a clover fallow. I will make the statement 
as accurately as I can, by beginning with tobacco, the most 
expensive and decidedly the most profitable : I have endeavor¬ 
ed to count every cost., so as to bear the scrutiny of an exami¬ 
nation. , 
1840. 
1832 lbs. tobacco from an acre, selling less than $5 per 
cwt., or for. 
Expenses in plowing, harrowing and hoeing,. $8 00 
Plants, planting, topping, suckering, worming, 
cutting, spearing, hauling and housing, say, - •• 8 00 
Stripping and packing,. 5 00 
House room and interest on land,. 6 00 
Freight and commission,. 2 00 
Manure and sundry expenses,. 3 22 
22 
-- 31 22 
So much for tobacco under 5 cts. per lb.,.$60 00 
1837. - 
22 bushels wheat sold for $1,50 per bush.; and straw $ 2 , $35 00 
Expenses of plowing, harrowing, rolling and seed¬ 
ing, . $5 00 
2 bushels seed at $1,50,. 3 00 
Cutting and securing,. 2 00 
Interest on land and use of barn,. 2 50 
Thrashing, freight and commission, 121 cts. per 
bushel,. 2 50 
- 16 00 
So much for an acre in wheat above its usual price, • • $20 00 
60 bushels oats sold at 45 cts., straw worth $3,.$30 00 
Expenses of raising should be considered less, but the 
freight and commission brings up for near treble quan¬ 
tity, . 16 00 
See the yield from so good a crop of oats,. $15 00 
40 bushels corn worth 50 cts., tops, blades and 
shucks, $5 00 . $25 00 
Preparation and cultivation of land, same as to¬ 
bacco, . s 00 
Planting and securing the crop,. 4 00 
Interest on land, house room, freight and commis¬ 
sion, .-. 3 00 
- 15 00 
So much for the universal crop per acre,. $10 00 
It may be seen from the above statements which have been 
prepared with some care, that an acre in tobacco at 5 cts. per 
lb. is equal to 3 of wheat, 4 of oats and 6 in corn. For fear 
prejudice might be thought to be in favor of tobacco and 
against corn, it is but just to say it was precisely the reverse; 
for when I commenced in my little way, it was to find out in 
what my farm would give the greatest return from. My 
neighbore will please pardon me, for calling it by the same 
name their 4, 5 and 600 acre tracts are called by, and bear 
with me and hear me out; then compare your nett gain upon 
stock in trade, after deducting 6 per cent as I have done 
throughout, which you can procure for money without trouble. 
I will now give you a short recapitulation. System and 
economy have been my watchword from the start. I com¬ 
menced with the three lot rotation as follows:—I sow a lot 
every spring in clover on wheat. I have a lot to graze after 
blooming, and the third lot having been long enough in clover, 
is fallowed and put in tobacco in the spring and wheat in the 
fall, and clover in the following spring, and so on in succes¬ 
sion. By this course, with the application of all the manure I 
can procure conveniently, I have improved the soil both in 
depth and quality, to produce what I have stated. I have al¬ 
so taken some pains to find the manure which acts best upon 
the soil, and think I have succeeded, which is in the power of 
every farmer, yea, his duty as a faithful steward; but I have 
not room in this ietter to give my trial of manure, but will 
merely say the absorbents have all the advantage over the co¬ 
hesive articles, such as lime, ashes, &c. I will give a state¬ 
ment of 3 years product from my 7 acre lot, 1st and 2d years: 
in tobacco and corn, $500; wheat $200—3d year, in grazing, 
in beef, veal and butter, $50, making $750; and although my 
farm contains but about 26 acres, yet not |ths of that has been 
in successful cultivation, owing to a meadow marsh and a pub- 
bc lot; yet I find by turning to the folio in mv ledger,the pro¬ 
ducts ot 17 acres in the 4 years, have amounted to $2,500, in¬ 
cluding my present crop of tobacco, though only a half a crop 
owing to a scarcity of plants; for the great quantity of worms 
and scarcity of plants will form an epoch in the history of the 
beautiful plant. I pursued the plan of debiting and crediting 
every thing to my farm, and striking a balance at the year’s 
end, and working interest on the same ; and I find after esti¬ 
mating the purchase, buildings and labor, and every expense 
whatever, that I have $500 over and above cost, and my little 
patch of earth clear; the worth of which I am willing to have 
estimated by the reader s own judgment from this communi- 
cat m n- , r , DAVID G. WEEMS. 
Tracey's Landing , A. A. Co, Md., Feb. 4, 1841. 
Culture of the Hop. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —As I have derived much useful 
and practical information from the perusal of your columns 
and more particularly the communications of those correspon¬ 
dents who have given us the practical result of their labors • 
and as I practice farming by what I call the Debt and Credit 
System, I herewith send you an account of four successive 
crops of Hops, four acres, grown on a dry, gravelly soil. First, 
land made rich by 100 loads manure per acre, and plowed in- 
then marked in the rows 6 by 7 feet, or 7 by 8 , as suits conve’- 
nience; then drop from 4 to 6 cuttings to a hill, and cover 4 
inches. This completes the operation for the first year. Com 
or potatoes may be planted between the rows the first year_ 
They should be kept free from weeds through the season Now 
the account: 
East Hop Yard Dr. in 1837. 
To sticking poles, cultivating and tending through 
the season, .. 
To picking, at 12 ^ cents per box,. 
To box tending, including board,... 
To boarding girls, while picking,. 
To 110 yards hemp bagging at 20 c. per yard,. 
To pressing 8,060 lbs. hops, at 12| cents per hundred, •• 
To coal and labor in drying,.. 
To interest on first cost of land, at $60 per acre,. 
To transportation to Utica,. 
To decay of poles,.... 
$50 60 
106 75 
45 37 
65 OO 
22 00 
10 07 
49 50 
16 80 
12 00 
6 00 
Whole expense,. $ 383 99 
East Hop Yard, Cr. 
By 8,060 lbs. hops, sold on contract at 14c. though market was 
but 5c. amounting to. $j i 2 § 40 
Deduct expense, leaves a gain of. ’745 44 
I do not include the cost of manure or poles, as the yard was 
ready for working when I purchased the farm. 
Second Year — Oct. 14, 1838— East Hop Yard, Dr 
To labor in tending and cultivating, and 55 loads ma¬ 
nure at 25 cents per load,. 
To picking, including board,. 
To labor in box tending,. 
To 150 bushels coal and drying,. 
To hemp bagging,. 
To pressing into bales,. 
To cartage,.. 
Interest on first cost of land,. 
Decay of poles,... 
$70 60 
113 36 
13 60 
18 00 
16 00 
6 50 
2 00 
16 80 
8 00 
Whole cost, .$264 66 
Oct. 14— East Hop Yard, Cr. 
By 4,068 lbs. hops, sold to U. Leland, at 12J cents per pound, 
amounting to. $ 50s 60 
Cost deducted, leaves. 343 34 
Third Year—Sept. 30, 1839—Fast Hop Yard, Dr. 
To 50 days labor including board,. 
To picking 555 boxes, at 121 cents per box,. 
To board in harvesting, at $1 per week,. 
To box tending,. 
To 150 bushels coal and drying,. 
82 yards sacking, at 20 cents per yard,. 
To pressing,. 
To transportation to N. York, at 48 cents per 100 lbs. • 
To 55 loads manure, at 25 cents per load,..!. 
Interest on land,... 
Decay of poles, . 
$42 20 
69 39 
61 00 
29 00 
19 00 
16 40 
5 50 
21 31 
13 75 
16 SO 
8 00 
Whole cost,.$292 34 
Oct. 19, 1839— East Hop Yard, Cr. 
By 5,480 lbs. Hops, sold to C. & S. Milbank, at lgi cents per 
pound . .. $1 ,ou 86 
Cost deducted, leaves,... 733 46 
Fourth Year — Oct. 8 , 1840— East Iiop Yard, Dr. 
To 60 loads manure,.$jg qq 
To cultivating and tending through the season,. 46 87 
To picking 427 boxes, at 12-1 cents per box,. 53 38 
To boarding hop pickers,. 4 g 00 
To labor in box tending,.*. 31 
To drying,. 10 00 
To 150 bushels coal, at 6 d. per bushel,. 9 00 
To 63 yards sacking,. 13 go 
To pressing,. g qo 
To hauling to canal,. 3 50 
Interest on land,. jg go 
Decay of poles,. 3 00 
Whole expense,. $258 65 
Oct. 8, 1840— East Hop Yard, Cr. 
By 4,000 lbs. hops, sold to U. Leland, at 30c. per lb. • $1,200 00 
Expenses deducted, leaves. 941 3 g 
Assuming 5 cents per pound for the crop of 1837, which was 
the market price, the aggregate of profits of the four successive 
crops, is, 
Crop of 1837, gain,. $19 oi 
Crop of 1838, gain,. 343 84 
Crop of 1839, gain,. 722 47 
Crop of 1S40, gain,. 941 35 
In all,.$2,026 66 
Now deduct the outfit:—400 loads manure, at 25c. •• $100 00 
5,600 cedar poles the man set on the yard, at 6 j cents 
apiece, - -.. • . 364 00 
which, deducted from the sum total, leaves of actual 
gain for crops,.$1,552 66 
Hamilton, N. Y., 1841. _ JAMES H. DUNBAR. 
Messrs. Editors— We send you the weight of two 
Iambs, dropped on the 22nd of Feb. by two half-bred 
South Down ewes. They were weighed at fourteen 
hours oil—one weighed 13 lb. 2 oz. and the other 13 lb. 
6 oz. One was got by a pure bred South Down buck, 
and the other by a Cotswold. As the weight was much 
above that of ordinary lambs,we are induced to publish it 
that our brother farmers may avail themselves of ‘lie 
advantage to be derived from good slock. 
Alamuchy, N. J. 3rd Mo. 1. J. & S. ADAMS. 
