92 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
zm 
have never known it used ; but as its growth is rapid, 
there can be little doubt that it would be very useful 
in the manner indicated. 
Constant supply of Eggs. 
J. G. Bergen, Esq., of Brooklyn, says —“ We never 
miss obtaining eggs throughout every day of the year, 
and simply because we always feed our fowls as much 
Indian corn as they will eat.” 
American Forest Trees. 
We learn with great pleasure, that a new edition of 
the North American Sylva, will soon he issued from 
the press of J. Dobson, No. 106, Chestnut-st., Philadel¬ 
phia. It will contain a description of the Forest Trees 
of the United States, Canada , and Nova Scotia ; with a 
description of the most useful of the European forest 
trees. Illustrated by 156 finely colored engravings. 
Translated from the French of T. A. Michaux. To 
this will be added an additional volume, containing the 
Forest Trees discovered in the Rocky Mountains and 
Oregon Territory, down to the shores of the Pacific, 
as well as in various parts of the United States, by 
Thomas Nuttall, F. L. S. The figures will comprise 
about 40 plates, executed and colored in the best man¬ 
ner under the eye of the editor. Additional remarks 
will be added, so as to render the work as complete as 
possible in every respect. 
Michaux’s magnificent work on our Forest Trees 
needs no commendation of ours ; and the well establish¬ 
ed reputation of Mr. Nuttall, the editor of the addition¬ 
al part of the work, is a sufficient guarantee for its ac¬ 
curacy and style of execution. The plates, about Two 
Hundred in number, will be finely and faithfully color¬ 
ed, and the whole will form one of the most splendid 
works ever published in this country. 
The work ivill make four volumes, in Imperial octa¬ 
vo ; the first volume to be ready in May or June, and 
the succeeding ones at short intervals, so as to be com¬ 
pleted within the year. The price of the whole work 
will be thirty dollars. The 1st, 2d and 3d volumes, eight 
dollars each, and the 4th, six dollars. Those persons 
who possess the former edition of Michaux’s work can 
complete their copies by the addition of the 4th. Seven 
dollars, colored—uncolored, five dollars. 
We will forward with pleasure, the names of any of 
our friends who may wish to receive the whole, or the 
last part of this truly national work. 
Security against Lightning, 
The damage which the country, and particularly the 
farming classes, sustain from lightning, is very apt to be 
under-rated by those who have not paid attention to the 
subject, or ascertained the number of such disasters re¬ 
ported annually in the public journals. There is scarce 
a thunder shower during the season, in which more or 
less buildings or lives of men or animals are not destroy¬ 
ed, and the aggregate is a serious one. During a sin¬ 
gle shower in Western New-York last season, in three 
counties, some fifteen or twenty buildings Avere burned, 
and though few showers are as destructive, all are more 
or less liable to produce disastrous results. The impor¬ 
tance, therefore, of protecting buildings can hardly be 
too frequently, or too earnestly urged upon the owners ; 
and what is done in this Avay, should be done so as not 
to invite, but to divert the attack of the destructive agent. 
The common faults of lightning rods are, first, being 
made of too small iron rods, a fault that prevents suffi¬ 
cient surface for the free transmission of the fluid. This 
fact is shoAvn by the frequent breaking and fusion of 
small rods, an occurrence which never happens to large 
ones. Rods less than five-eighths should never be used, 
and three-fourths or even an inch, are still better. 
A second fault is in not having the rods properly join¬ 
ed ; and their termination in the earth of the right kind. 
The rods should be united by a screw joint, in such a 
way as to enlarge the rod at that place as little as pos¬ 
sible, and the loiver part should enter the earth to such 
a depth as to ensure a certainty of its being alivays in 
contact Avith moisture ; if the loiver part is forked, the 
fluid ivill pass off still more readily. 
A third fault is in the construction of the elevated 
points. This part sometimes ends in a single point, 
sometimes in two or three ; but these are usually blunt, 
covered by rust, and consequently forming very imper¬ 
fect conductors. It should be remembered the more nu¬ 
merous the points the better ; that the points should be 
fine and sharp, and should be made of some metal not 
liable to oxydate or rust. Silver or platina are the best 
metals for this use. A dollar Avill furnish material for 
a dozen points. 
Another fault is founded in the manner of putting up 
such rods. They should be secured to their places on 
or about the buildings to be protected, by such substan¬ 
ces as are poor, or perfect nonconductors, such as wood 
or glass, and all things considered, the first is doubtless 
the best article that can be used. If attached to a house, 
it should be so as to command the most exposed or eleva¬ 
ted part, such as the chimney, and Avhen there is more 
than one of those of equal height, then the one in Avhich 
the fire is usually kept, as it is found that a column of 
heated air constitutes a powerful conductor. If applied 
to out buildings, those most exposed should be selected, 
and particularly those in ivhich the greatest value is 
generally found. The barns in which large quantities 
of neAV grain and hay are stored, are found more fre¬ 
quently struck by lightning than others, a fact that may 
be attributed to the heated air rising from the partially 
fermenting masses within, conducting the electric fluid 
to such buildings. Some may prefer insurance, to the 
trouble of erecting rods, and with such we shall not con¬ 
tend ; all that is desired, is, that the oAvner of property, 
and especially the farmer, will adopt some certain meth¬ 
od of securing himself against such loss. 
Weeding- Wheat. 
Mr. Fuller, in the ‘ Farmer’s Monthly Visitor,’ 
thus describes his method of performing the process of 
clearing his wheat from weeds, &c. : 
“ I always iveed my wheat twice. . The first time when it is 
three or four inches high; then again just before it begins to 
head out. I use an instrument called a grub. It is like a cab¬ 
inet maker’s gouge, about one and one fourth of an inch in diam¬ 
eter, with a socket into which I put a handle, say four or five 
feet long. With, this instrument, one man may go over a large 
piece of ground in a day. The method is to take the grub and 
cut off a thistle, dock, or any thing that is injurious to the 
wheat at the surface of the ground, and leave it on the spot 
where it was cut off. A field that has this dressing will look 
much better; weeds always take the start of the wheat, and 
retard the growth. This practice always pays the farmer a 
great price for his labor.” 
Mr. Fuller’s remarks relate to spring wheat, but they 
are applicable to winter wheat, and the farmer ahvays 
finds his account in selling or sotving clean grain. A 
friend of ours last season had two fine fields of wheat, 
one of ivinter, and the other of spring, and he Aved them 
both carefully, so as to leave nothing but pure ivheat. 
Both kinds were principally sold for seed at such an ad¬ 
vance in price as to amply compensate fier the extra la¬ 
bor expended, and the increase in the quantity of the 
grain from its being freed from weeds, Avas far from in¬ 
considerable. Weeding Avheat is common in Europe, 
and there can be little doubt the practice may be ad¬ 
vantageously adopted here. 
Agricultural College. 
Massachusetts was the first to institute a Geologi¬ 
cal Survey; to provide for an accurate examination of 
her agricultural resources ; and she seems destined al¬ 
so to be the first in establishing a school where agricul¬ 
ture shall be taught and practiced scientifically and prac¬ 
tically. We honor the old Bay State, not only because 
of her historical associations, because she possesses a 
Faneiul Hall, Lexington, and Bunker Hill, but because 
her public spirited sons appear to understand and ap¬ 
preciate the great truth, that knowledge is the mighty 
poAver Avhich alike governs the world of matter and of 
mind. 
We learn from some papers Avhich have appeared in 
the Boston Recorder, that measures are being taken to 
convert that branch of Phillips’ Academy at Andover, 
called the Teacher’s Seminary, into what may be call¬ 
ed an English College, in Avhich young men may be 
prepared for every department of business, except ivhat 
are termed the learned professions. This school was 
the first Normal school, or school for the preparation of 
teachers, established in the United States ; and its effects 
have been most happy ; and in its proposed enlarged 
sphere of operation, it ivill open a neAV era in the agri¬ 
culture of the country. The paper to which Ave have 
alluded, says :— 
“ This school embraces a three years’ course of study in the 
department of English literature, mental, moral, and Natural 
Philosophy, Mathematics and the Natural Sciences; a course 
substantially the same as that of our colleges, with the excep¬ 
tion of the ancient languages. It now has four teachers, three 
of them permanent, and the number of students by the last cata¬ 
logue, was 136. Arrangements have been made to introduce 
agriculture as a branch of study during the spring term, which 
is soon to commence, in connection with the lectures and ex¬ 
periments in chemistry. Should this effort be sustained by the 
community, as we have good reason to hope it will, the insti¬ 
tution in all its prominent features, will be an English college, 
such as the wants of the country demand. * * * The build¬ 
ings are sufficient to accommodate 150 students. In addition to 
a good farm, there are two farms belonging to the trustees, 
which might be devoted to the purpose of the institution if they 
were needed. All that is now necessary to give permanency 
and success to the plan, is the endowment of one or two pro¬ 
fessorships, requiring less than one-half the sum which would 
be necessary to establish a similar institution, where no such 
foundation existed.” 
Of the eligibility of the location there can be no doubt; 
and ivhen xve remember the princely liberality already 
extended to the justly famed institution of Andover, 
there can be little doubt that the necessary sums for the 
endowment of the agricultural department, xvill be 
speedily forthcoming. Should it go into successful op¬ 
eration, as Ave trust it may, this school will become a 
model school, the influence and advantages of ivhich 
will be felt in all directions. The plan is no new one, 
no untried and hazardous experiment; if such schools 
can succeed in the depressed States of Europe, can we 
reasonably have a fear as to the result in such a State 
as Massachusetts, or among the enlightened farmers of 
the United States. If ive have as yet no such men as 
Von Thaer, Chaptal, Davy, Liebig, Dombasle, &c., it 
is because the exigencies of our country have not de¬ 
manded them. The talent, the zeal, are here : in short, 
we have the men among us, and nothing is ivanting but 
to have these qualities called out, and directed to the 
pursuits which have given so much usefulness and ho¬ 
nor to the individuals ive have named. We did indeed 
hope that Neiv-York ivould have set an example to her 
sister States, of the establishment of a school for the ad¬ 
vancement of agriculture ; but if Massachusetts bears 
the palm from the Empire State in this respect, ive shall 
not complain. “Example is more poiverful than 
preaching,” is probably as true now as ever ; and suc¬ 
cess in the old Bay State, ivill doubtless abate some of 
the fears about interference in agriculture ivhich unfor¬ 
tunately appear to have the ascendancy in this State, 
and if not anxious to lead, ive may be at least induced 
to follow in the march of improvement. 
Kentucky Corn Crops. 
“We expected ere this to have procured the statements of 
Messrs. Bryan and Young qf Jessamine, who produced 200 
bushels of corn to the acre, last year. The extraordinary crops 
grown by these gentlemen were scarcely more remarkable, 
than the fact that neither of them has published a statement of 
his practice. They owe it to the cause of good husbandry to 
detail their practice. Mr. Williams of Bourbon, who produced 
nearly as good a crop (about 170 bushels) promptly gave the 
country the benefits of his experience .” — [Kentucky Farmer .] 
We think ivitli the Farmer on this subject, and hope 
our friend Stevenson ivill not let the matter rest, until 
full details of the course pursued to produce such an 
“ extraordinary” crop are laid before the public. We 
remember ivhen a reported crop of 100 bushels to the 
acre was considered a great story, and old farmers did 
not hesitate to assert that 100 bushels could not be made 
to grow on an acre of land. That crop has, hoivever, 
noiv become comparatively common, and when we hear 
of that crop being doubled we think the farming com¬ 
munity have a right not only to the evidence on which 
the claim rests, but the practice which produces such 
successful results ; for it must be remembered that in 
farming, what is once done can be done again, and by 
others also under favorable and similar circumstances. 
We know that in fine cattle, and great corn, Kentucky 
is hard to beat; let her sons reveal, as far as possible, 
the secret of their success. 
Fattening Pigs. 
Mr. E. Marks, of Onondaga county, has, at our re¬ 
quest, kindly furnished us ivith the folloiving statement 
respecting the pork made by him on his farm in 1840. 
It will be seen that it adds an important item to the 
products enumerated in the Farm Report published in 
in our last: 
“First Lot. —Six pigs ten months old. Weaned when eight 
weeks old, and received through the summer the slop of the 
dairy of three cows, and, perhaps, in the whole time one bushel 
of barley meal each. Weight of the heaviest 286 pounds, ave¬ 
rage weight 258. Total 1,548. 
“ Second Lot. —Twelve pigs sixteen and a half months old, 
turned to pasture in the spring, and fed no more until about the 
10th of October. Weight of the heaviest when killed 381 pounds. 
Average 295 pounds. Total 3,440 pounds. 
“ Third Lot. —One sow two and a half years old, raised tivo 
litters of pigs during the season, and was fattened with the 
others, weight 393 pounds. One boar, purchased pf Mr. Be- 
ment, three and a half years old, castrated the fore part of Oc¬ 
tober, and fed with the others; weight 454 pounds. One boar 
pig sixteen months old, castrated the same time as the forego¬ 
ing, and fed; weight, when killed, 390 pounds. Total 1,237 lbs. 
Recapitulation. —1 lot, 6 pigs, weight 1,548 Strained lard 
2 “ 12 “ “ 3,540 from these hogs 
3 “ 3 “ “ 1,237 676 pounds. 
6,325 
“The regular feeding of these hogs commencecLabout the 
middle of October, and they were slaughtered on the 5th of 
January, and weighed from one to three days after being killed. 
The six pigs were three-fourths; the twelve, from one-half to 
three-fourths; and the boar full blood Berkshires. The sow 
was half blood, and the boar pig nearly full blood. They were 
fed as follows : about the 10th of October they were turned in 
the orchard, and fed twice a day ivith steamed potatoes for a 
week or two, when they were confined in a yard, and fed with 
steamed potatoes and barley meal mixed in, at first at the rate 
of one bushel of meal to twenty-five of potatoes, but the meal 
ivas increased until three bushels were used with the same 
quantity of potatoes. They were fed in this way until about 600 
bushels of potatoes had been used, when their feed was changed 
to barley and pea meal, commencing with one-fourth peas, and 
ending with three-fourths. The meal was prepared as follow's; 
water ivas heated to boiling, a little salt added, and then meal 
was stirred in, until it was as thick as would conveniently 
pour. This soon began to ferment, and was then fed out while 
warm. None was kept until much soured, and very little was 
fed before fermentation commenced. To have had the feeding 
properly and most profitably conducted, the fattening should 
have commenced thirty-five or forty days earlier; as the same 
quantity of food w'ill make more pork in September and Octo¬ 
ber, than in December and January.” 
We may add to this statement, that the last pig: in the 
third lot, exhibited a striking instance of the rapidity 
ivith ivhich the Berkshires, and, indeed, some other pigs, 
will take on fat. His gain, from the time he was put 
up until slaughtered, being at the rate of about three 
pounds five ounces daily. This, it is true, is not quite 
equal to the gain of Mr. W. P. Curd’s Berkshire, (see 
Cultivator, vol. 7, page 188,) still we imagine few in¬ 
stances can be found of an equal gain in the same time. 
Profitable Cow. 
We find in the Essex Ag. Transactions for 1840, a 
statement of C. F. Putnam, respecting his cow which 
obtained the premium, giving the quantity of milk pro¬ 
duced monthly for the year, the value of the milk and 
the cost of keeping. The quantity of milk was 4,214 
quarts, or an average of 12 quarts daily for the year. 
The value of the milk was $244 ; and the total expense 
of keeping, milking, &c., was $91.53. Leaving a nett 
profit for the year, of $152.50. Mr. Putnam resides at 
Salem. Several other cows scarcely inferior were also 
offered for premiums ; and such instances illustrate the 
propriety of keeping none but the best animals, since 
the cost of keeping is no more, and the product so much 
greater. ______ 
Colored Cheese. 
Considerable complaint has been made in England, 
as to the effect of colored cheese, and it is strenuously 
maintained by competent judges, that the use of Annat- 
to, ivhich is the principal coloring material, must hai'e 
a pernicious effect. The matter is like to be fully in¬ 
vestigated. 
