152 
THE CULTIVATOR 
love inspiring flower. But teach your children to love these 
innocent sources of happiness, and they will have less tempta¬ 
tion before them to seek pleasure where they will find ruin. 
SOLON ROBINSON. 
Lake C. H. } la., July 15 , 1841 . 
Traveling- Memoranda-—Wo. 2. 
Laporte, Indiana, Aug. 6, 1841. 
Editors of Cultivator — I am now fairly on my great Agricul¬ 
tural Tour. I left home yesterday. The roads are dry and fine, 
for vve have had but little rain of late; yet crops have not suf¬ 
fered much. The wheat, of which there is an abundance of the 
very best quality, is nearly all in stack or barn, and many are 
already thrashing and getting it to market at 68 cts. a bushel, 
under the impression that it will be no higher. 
Oats in the north of Indiana are not a full crop this year, but 
corn, potatoes, and other things, give great promise generally. 
It has been an excellent season for the farmer to secure his hay 
and grain. But few showers, and many cool days and nights. 
You will recollect that last year we suffered an almost uni¬ 
versal blight in wheat. A very few pieces are affected this 
year, and as a matter of course, a very large crop will be put 
upon the ground this fall. 
There is a new improvement in the thrashing machine in ope¬ 
ration here. The thrasher is mounted upon wheels, and is 
drawn through the field, and the bundles takenfrom the shooks, 
thrown into the machine, and the straw scattered over the 
ground, the chaff blown out, and the grain deposited in a box, 
nearly clean enough for the mill, as the machine moves along 
through the field. It appears to operate well, and is a great 
saver of grain, time and labor. 
The contrast between this “go ahead” way of getting out 
grain and the old fashioned flail, is not however so great as the 
contrast between this country now and ten years ago. Then, 
an Indian wild, an unbroken, broad waste of prairie and tim¬ 
ber: Now, a succession of smiling fields, and happy homes of 
an industrious and thriving population. 
Michigan City, often mistaken at the east for a Michigan 
town, is in this county. It is the only shipping port in the state 
of Indiana upon Lake Michigan. Vast quantities of wheat have 
been, and still more vast quantities of wheat and other pro¬ 
ducts of one of the richest soils and most arable land in the 
world, of which the five or six contiguous counties are com¬ 
posed, will continue to be shipped from this port. 
I am sorry to say that the farmers’ prospects of realizing a 
profit upon pork this fall are very poor. So many packers lost 
money from their last fall operations, that but few will be 
tempted into the trade the coming fall. I am sorry for this, for 
I like to see the farmer well remunerated for his labor, and I 
am anxious that he should soon get rid of his land-pikes and al¬ 
ligators at such prices as will enable him to buy a better breed, 
of which there is a lamentable deficiency. The same remark is 
applicable to stock of all kinds. 
But I must close and press forward on my long journey, and 
I hope I shall be able to meet with many incidents that will be 
interesting to those who have become familiar with the name of 
their old friend, SOLON ROBINSON. 
Logansport, la., Aug. 8, 1841. 
Editors Cultivator —Under the new order of post office regu¬ 
lations, adopted by Postmaster-General Niles, the stage lays 
over here this day, (Sunday,) and to that you may ascribe the 
reason why you get a line from me now. 
This town is situated upon the Wabash river, and the Wabash 
and Erie canal, now in operation from Lafayette (the head 
of steamboat navigation on the Wabash,) to Fort Wayne, passes 
directly through the heart of the town. There is also a large 
mill stream, called Eel river, empties in here, and that and the 
Wabash afford an immense mill power, which will at some day 
build up a great manufacturing town at this point. The land in 
the vicinity is of unsurpassed richness, covered in its native 
state with heavy timber; and owing to the fact that the land 
lately owned by the Miami Indians lies immediately across the 
river, the forest still remains in primeval grandeur. Over the 
rivers and canal are some fine bridges. The whole is one of the 
sudden, but here substantial, creations of the west. I find here 
a few, and compared with the numbers and wealth of the place, 
too few, subscribers to agricultural papers. The Cultivator, I 
believe, has the greatest number of subscribers; but instead of 
20 it should be 200; and I most respectfully suggest to the citi¬ 
zens, that to make the circulation up to that number, would 
make the county of Cass $2,000 richer every year. There is 
not that attention paid to agriculture here that should be. 
There is a small society, but little action. Last fall, the socie¬ 
ty made a most laudable attempt to import a lot of Berkshire 
pigs. They were very unlucky. The pigs were landed in cold 
weather on the wharf at Chicago, and afterwards on the beach 
at Michigan City, and several of them either starved or froze to 
death, and those that came to hand have not done credit to the 
breed. The purchasers complain of the breeder, that he did 
not send a good lot, or else they were too young, or badly put 
up, or something. At all events, it was a very unlucky piece of 
business for all parties concerned, and has tended to put back 
the improvement in hogs here for several years. From experi¬ 
ence, I am bound to advise all my friends to order no pigs ship¬ 
ped to the west in the fall of the year, and to take none at any 
time less than 8 or 10 weeks old. It is charged against the deal¬ 
ers in Berkshires that they make sale of every living pig, and 
under the reputation of selling their own stock, that they buy 
up and send off some very inferior pigs, Such conduct is high¬ 
ly criminal, and I mention it here publicly, that if any person 
knows of such conduct, that he come out under his own name 
and state the facts. And on the other hand, that the breeders 
may be aware of the charges. Hogs are the first and most easy 
stock to improve, and I think the most important, particularly 
in this great corn country. 
The .crop of corn here this year will be much injured by a 
great drouth, which I am told, however, is much more severe 
farther south. Wheat is only raised for home consumption, as 
at present there is no outlet for it. Probably in the course of 
next year, the canal will be open to Lake Erie, when you will 
have the whole Wabash Valley in competition in the wheat 
market. Success attend it. It can be profitably raised here at 
60 cents a bushel. Oats are much injured by the drouth. There 
will not be over half a crop. Hay is not much injured, because 
it is not much cultivated. 
But I must not dwell too long on the way. So adieu to-day. 
SOLON ROBINSON. 
Perch Lake Farm, Aug. 18, 1841. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I read Mr. Randall’s letter in 
your last with much interest, and observed his remarks on the 
animals he inspected. I am very glad breeders of good stock 
link together in good fellowship, and am happy to near there 
are short horns in this state “ as near perfect as flesh and blood 
can make them.” I speak with reverence when I say, I hail the 
names of those spirited breeders, and exalted agriculturists, 
with true delight, and know of none more worthy of such ani¬ 
mals. I only wish their genuine example were better appre¬ 
ciated. 
I have freqiiently seen Mr. Fuller’s President, and say with 
confidence he is the best bull the late Patroon, Van Rensselaer, 
ever bred, and his progeny keep their standing equally well. I 
trust we shall meet at the fair, on the 29th of September, where 
I hope we shall all pull together, as just men should, for the 
public good, and for our own credit support the high station of 
our President with good courage, manly feeling and true spirit, 
leaving discord and cavil to the ignorant and vulgar, for judg¬ 
ment must be weak when prejudice is strong. Our motives 
should be pure and unbiassed to support this noble purpose. You 
may rely I shall b'e one of the first to welcome him to his chair, 
cheer with glee the toast to his health and prosperity, and glory 
m seeing him at the head of a body of intelligent farmers, met 
to transmit opinions, and glean knowledge for the benefit of 
themselves and their country. They are the lords of all below, 
when improvement is the hope that animates them, and their 
exertions are blessed with success. I have not the honor of a 
personal acquaintance with Mr. R., but when we meet face to 
face, the challenge he says he has given me shall be amicably 
settled; there is now a misunderstanding between us. 
I have no objection to a contest for butter with the Herefords 
and Short Horns, if he will allow me to send to England for 
another—the number of the latter so much exceed the former; 
but should he not go beyond his own herd, or that of Mr. Hep¬ 
burn, I will meet him with one from ours; the time of trial to 
be fixed at the fair. I have before stated, in the “Farmers’ 
Cabinet,” that a good mellow-handling cow will invariably 
yield much more butter in proportion, than that which is drawn 
from an animal inferior in the touch; hard handlers require 
much more food, and must be' forced with expensive keep, to 
make them ripe or rich milkers. This I have known from expe¬ 
rience from boyhood. 
I have some early potatoes I brought from England, that I 
think very superior. I planted them on the 26th of May, dug 
them for the table on the 7th of July, and they were thoroughly 
ripe and fit to dry for seed on the 14th of August. I think their 
quality is better than any thing I have ever seen. I have about 
two bushels of them, and will send you one of them to present 
to your correspondents, as they may be well distributed; they 
far exceed the Rohan, though not so large, and will stand next 
in produce if they continue as they commence. 
Yours sincerely, WH. H’Y. SOTHAM. 
JKeview of the New-ITork Market, Aug-. 2<L 
(Prepared for the Cultivator.) 
ASHES.—During the past month, the demand for Pots has been 
about equal to the receipts, while for Pearls there has been but 
a moderate inquiry. The receipts have been quite limited, in 
consequence of the large .quantity which has this season been 
directed to Canada, instea’d of finding a vent at New-York, as 
in former seasons. The price has steadily advanced from 
$5-00, at the opening of navigation, to $5-75, at which price 
both descriptions now stand, with a good demand and rather an 
upward tendency. The exports from the 1st to 28th July, were 
2,736 bbls. Pots, 169 bbls. Pearls; from 1st to 18th August, S00 
bbls. Pots. . The amount received from the opening of the canals 
to the 14th inst. is 19,487 bbls.; stock on hand, 1,090 bbls. Pots 
and 1,438 bbls. Pearls. 
COTTON.—The advices from England received by the steam¬ 
ers which have arrived this month have been unfavorable, al¬ 
most without exception, and communicated a corresponding 
feeling to this market. Prices have been gradually drooping, 
and since the arrival of the Columbia, the lower grades have 
been sold at prices establishing a decline of l-2c. per lb. The 
better descriptions are comparatively neglected, and sales have 
not been made sufficiently large to show: any change in rates. 
The operations are principally made by shippers. The total re¬ 
ceipts from the 1st to 24th August have been 6,334bales. Total 
export from U. States since 1st October last, 1,279,000 bales, 
against i,818,000 bales last year to same time. The current 
rates are, Upland and Florida, 8 @ 10 l-2c.—Mobile, 8 3-4 @ 
11 l-2c., a parcel very fine at 13 l-2c.—New-Orleans, 8 1-4 (a), 
11 l-2c. 
FLOUR AND MEAL.—From the opening of the canals to the 
present time, with occasional seasons of quiet, there has been 
a gradual, steady improvement in the price and demand for 
Flour. The receipts from the interior have been unusually 
light this season. Large quantities of Ohio and other Western, 
which have in former years been sent to this market, have been 
forwarded to England via Canada. This fact, with a brisk de¬ 
mand for the supply of eastern ports and home consumption, 
has given prices an impetus, and we now quote all descriptions 
about $1-00 ^bbl. higher than the ruling rates in the early part 
of the month. The Columbia brought large orders from England, 
but the limits are in most cases much too low; some lots, how¬ 
ever, as near as can be ascertained about 2,000 bbls., have been 
taken for England, at $6-50 for Ohio and Genesee. We quote 
fresh Genesee firm, $6-75—Ohio, $6-50 @ $6-75—Michigan, 
$6-60 @ $6-62 1-2—Georgetown and Howard-st. fresh, $6-75 @ 
$7-00—Brandywine, $7-00. The stock of Michigan and South¬ 
ern is extremely light. Corn Meal is held at $3^75 @ $4-00, in 
bbls—$16-00 in hhds. Rye Flour, $4-00 ay bbl. 
GRAIN.—The supplies of all descriptions throughout the 
month have been very light and unequal to the demand, in con¬ 
sequence of which prices have rapidly improved, say 8 cts. qp 
bushel on Corn—6 to 7c. on Rye—10c. on Wheat—and 6 to 8c. on 
Oats. Within a few days we have had considerable receipts of 
Corn and Rye, and the market generally does not exhibit the 
same firmness. A sale of Ohio Wheat was made yesterday at 
135c. per bushel, and a cargo of North Carolina brought 134e. @ 
133o. The demand for Wheat is good, but considerable supplies 
arriving would probably depress the market. We quote, with 
quick sales of all that arrives. Northern Corn 79c. measure— 
Jersey do. 78c. measure—Southern do. 75 @ 75 1-2 ^ bushel of 
56 lbs.—North River Rye, 68c. at the boats—Canal Oats, new, 
47 @ 48c., old 49 @ 50c.—Southern do. last sales, 40c. The de¬ 
mand for Oats has not been so brisk within a day or two as for 
other descriptions. 
PROVISIONS.—The market for Pork is extremely depressed, 
in consequence of the immense stock which has accumulated 
here, (probably never exceeded,) and the comparative light de¬ 
mand for export. There is now but a moderate demand for this 
article at $8 @ 10 for Ohio Prime and Mess, and some sales are 
reported at a shade lower rates. N. Y. State brings $8-37 1-2 
@ $10-37 1-2, and lower county $9 @ $11. Beef sells in small 
parcels for consumption at $5-75 @ $6-25 for Prime, and $9-50 
@$ 10 forMess. Lard is dull at 61-2 @8 l-2c. Prime Butter does 
not arrive freely, and sells at 18 3-4c.—Common brings 12 @ 15c. 
Cheese is in fair request at 5 @ 6c. sp’ lb. 
RICE.—This article, in consequence of the light supplies re¬ 
ceived from the South, and the improving rates which have 
ruled there, has advanced slightly, and may be now quoted at 
$3-87 1-2^100 lbs., cash. The inquiry has improved within 
a day or two, partly for shipment to the West Indies, which has 
strengthened the market. 
SEEDS.—The drouth in some parts of the country created a 
demand for Clover and Timothy during the month, and they 
have improved in prices. Considerable quantities of Clover 
have been sold at 9 @ 9 l-2c. ^ lb., and Timothy at $22-00 ^ 
tierce. The inquiry has, however, subsided considerably, but 
sales are still made at these rates. Flaxseed is very scarce, 
and taken freely on arrival at $10 @ $10-50 per tierce by the 
crushers. Considerable parcels of foreign are expected. 
TOBACCO.—There is not much»activity in “Kentucky,” ex¬ 
cepting for the lower qualities, for which there appears to be 
some demand. The market, however, though firm, may be con¬ 
sidered dull. For manufactured of the low descriptions, there 
are some sales making for export. The stock of Tobacco gene¬ 
rally is large. We quote Richmond and Petersburg, 4 @ 8c.— 
North Carolina, 4@6c.—Kentucky, 5 @ 10 l- 2 c.—manufactured 
No. 1, 12 @ 15c.—No. 2, 10 @ He.—No. 3, 9 @ 10 l-2c.—Ladies 
Twist, 16 @ 20c.—Cavendish 10 @ 40c. 
TALLOW—The market is very quiet, and only small sales are 
making, at 8 3-4 @ 9c. The stock is considerable, especially of 
cijy rendered, which is held above the current rates by the 
butchers, and consequently is accumulating. 
CATTLE.—A larger supply than usual was offered at Bull’s 
Head on the last market day, in consequence of considerable 
lots having been driven in, for want of pasturage. The drouth 
in the interior has cut off much of the feed. The demand was 
not very animated, and prices were a little lower. There were 
70 head .Beeves left over. 80 arrived from the South, and 900 
from this state. 850 were sold at $5 @ $7. Cows and Calves — 
55 were offered, and 40 sold at $20 @ $28 each. Sheep and 
Lambs —The supply was large and sellers were forced to give 
way. The whole at market, 4,600, were sold at $1 @ $4 for 
Sheep, and 75c. @ $2-75 for Lambs. 
HAY.—The receipts have been lately quite light, and loose 
brings 75 to 100c. ^ 100 lbs. Bundle Hay has been in demand, 
in consequence of supplies being needed by the U. S. Govern¬ 
ment, and sales have been made within a fortnight as high as 
$1-06 1-4 100 lbs. 
Notices to Correspondents, ike. 
Communications have been received during the past month, 
from B. P. Johnson, Jas. Gowen, Caleb Carmalt, Holkham, S. 
D. Martin, S. Guthrie, V. P. Colonus, Commentator, G. M., J. 
M. Weeks, Sidney Weller, Geo. Woodfin, (too late for answer 
this month,) C. N. Bement, H. L. Ellsworth, Wells Lathrop, Geo. 
Barnard, J. C. Etches, “H. S. R.” M. L Knapp, John Boynton, 
W. H. Sotham, L. F. A., Solon Robinson, E. Hersy Derby, John 
H. Cocke, R. Sinclair, Jr. & Co., Nicholas Titus, A. & G. Brent- 
nail, James Jones, and D. Y. O. 
Several communications, which we should have been glad to 
have given this month, arrived too late; and among these are 
those of Mr. Lathrop, Mr. Derby, and L. F. A. 
Our thanks are due to different friends for various newspa¬ 
pers containing notices of Agricultural Societies, and other 
matters of interest to us—To Geo. C. Thorburn, New-York, for 
“ A Tabular Treatise on Chemistry, for the use of the Agricul¬ 
turist,” and “A Table of Manures, their properties, and mode 
of application,” both by John Robinson, M. B.—To W. H. Rich¬ 
ardson and R. Hill, Jr., for copies of the Proceedings of the 
Henrico Ag. and Hort. Society, with the President’s Address— 
and to the Shaker Family at Niskayuna for specimens of Early 
Canada Corn. 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
Cattle Show and Fair at Syracuse—Viewing Committees, j 
Additional Premiums, Regulations,&c.—Illinois Swamp 
Grass,. 
^Mineral Salt — Onondaga Salines,.-. 
Retention of Wool by the Merino — Fattening Animals— ! 
Blight of the Plum,. ; 
Work for the Month—Culture of Wheat—Virginia Board , 
of Agriculture — Sun Dials,. ; 
Royal Ag. Society’s Meeting at Liverpool—S. Carolina Ag. j 
Societies—Henrico (Va.) Ag. Society—N. York County ! 
Ag. Societies—Liebig’s Chemistry — Berkshire Pig — Agri- j 
cultural Capital — The Rose Bug — American Institute, • J 
Dictionary of Terms used in Agriculture,. 
Rearing Poultry—Productive Farm—Urate—Chess—Herd i 
Book Cattle — Cisterns—The Bloody Murrain, . 1 
New-Jersey Marl — Milk House — Disease in Fruit Trees—j 
Recipes, &c.—Smokey Fireplaces—Manure on Grass ! 
Lands—Sawdust, Planting Trees, Johnswort—Merited 
Compliment — Pine Sawdust—Bots in Horses, .. J 
Imported Stock in Georgia—California Wheat—Notices ; 
of New Publications,• •••.- 
Vermont Farms and Farming, by S. W. Jewett —Building ; 
Stone Wall, by Cephas, . - 
Remedy for the Turnep Fly, by B. P. Johnson —On the Use ' 
of Lime, by J. C. Mather— Blight or Mildew in Wheat, 
by Jas. Gowen and S. Robinson — Preservation of Tim¬ 
ber, by C. Carmalt —The Sulphates and Salts of Iron, 
by Holkham, . j 
Swine, the Woburns, by S. D. Martin— The Sugar Beet -i 
and the Rohan Potato, by S. Guthrie —Shape of the | 
Ax, by A Friend to Agriculture —Improvement of the t 143 
Soil and the Mind, by H. W. M.—Hay Riggings, by V. P. 
Colonus,..... 
An Excursion to Syracuse, by H. S. R. — Berkshires im- ; 
ported by S. Hawes, by A. & G. Brentnall —Filtering 
Cisterns, by P.—Dr. Martin’s Pig Beaten, by Jas. Jones 
—Epidemic among Cattle, by C. N. Bement —Tomato 
Figs, by A Lady of Washington — Imported Berkshires, 
by L. F. A.,. -••••j 
Dr. Martin’s Woburns, by S. D. Martin —Comments on the ' 
July No. of the Cultivator, by Commentator, . ! 
Tobacco Scaffolds, by G. M.—Management of Bees, by J. 
M. Weeks — A Hen House, by J. P. C.—On Farming, j 
Silk, and Vineyards, by Sidney Weller —Odds and Ends, j 
by Solon Robinson,.J 
Traveling Memoranda, Nos. I. and II., by Solon Robin- ! 
son —Letter from W. H. Sotham —Review of the New- . 
York Market, &c.,. , 
137 
138 
139 
140 
141 
142 
143 
144 
145 
146 
147 
Illustrations. 
Fig. 70.—Geological Section illustrative of the Onon- 
dago Saliferous Group,. 
Fig. 71.—Sun Dial,. 
Fig. 72.—Dr. Martin’s Woburn Sow Courtenay,. 
Fig. 73.—Shape of the Ax,.. 
Fig. 74—Dr. Martin’s Woburn Boar Belmont,. 
Figs. 75, 76, 77, 78.—Hen House,. 
149 
150 
151 
152 
138 
140 
148 
148 
150 
161 
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NewYork—Alex. Smith. 
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G. Freeborn. 
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Philadelphia—J. Dobson. 
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Providence—A. H. Stilwell. 
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Agents—Vols. 1, 2, 3 and 4, at 60 cts. each; and Yols. 5, 6 and 7, 
at $1-00 each. 
STEAM-PRESS OF C. VAN BENTHUYSEN. 
