THE CULTIVATOR 
165 
National Agricultural Society. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker— When I last wrote to you, I lit¬ 
tle expected so soon to have any cause for addressing you 
again; but your correspondent, Mr. F. Burt, of Ohio, has made 
it necessary. I beg, however, that neither you nor your readers 
will suppose that I notice his communication on my own ac¬ 
count. My sole object is, to prevent, if I can, any such miscon¬ 
ceptions being entertained by others as Mr. Burt seems to have 
formed in regard to “ the visionary notions,” (as he is pleased 
to call them,) of Mr. Solon Robinson and myself, relative to a 
National Society of Agriculture. It is true that he has bestowed 
upon us the most exalted praise, by calling us “ benefactors of 
the human race but he has done it in a way that reminds me 
very much of certain plays of “ the olden time,” which always 
ended in some of the company being made to redeem the pawns 
that they had forfeited in the course of the play. One of the 
most common sentences was, to require the condemned to pay 
a compliment to some one of the party and to spoil it. At one 
of these plays, within my recollection, a certain very awkward 
old Scotch batchelor who was some years past the age entitling 
him to be called a “Dumbarton youth,” was commanded to 
perform this difficult task to a young lady equally remarkable 
for beauty of features and weakness of understanding. He had 
no sooner heard his sentence, than he marched up to the fair 
girl, and to the infinite surprise and regret of his auditors, said, 
“ Miss Mally, you are an unco pretty lassie, but a grate 
fule.” 
Now, our friend Mr. Burt has served Mr. Robinson and my¬ 
self much after the same fashion; with this great difference, 
however, in the two cases, that the lady had a perfectly just 
title to the Scotchman’s compliment, whereas we have none to 
Mr. Burt’s, although each of us might with equal justice be 
called a great fool, if we really entertained any such “ vision¬ 
ary notions ” as he imputes to us. I shall leave Mr. Robinson 
to defend himself, as he is well able to do, and will proceed to 
my own vindication, by solemnly assuring all whom it may con¬ 
cern, that I have no knowledge of, nor participation in, any such 
scheme or schemes as Mr. Burt has most gratuitously ascribed 
to Mr. Robinson and myself. True it is, that we both anxiously 
desire to aid in promoting the establishment of a National So¬ 
ciety of Agriculture,—an Agricultural School, and an Experi¬ 
mental Farm. But it neither is, nor ever has been, any part of 
my purpose, nor do I believe it is Mr. Robinson’s, to petition 
Congress even for a single cent, much less “ half a million of 
dollars,” (as Mr. Burt asserts,) to effect our object. Neither 
shall I ever ask, either singly or with others, that “ some two 
or three hundred hoys should be taught farming at the expense 
of the Government,” and 11 in the city of Washington:” although 
I can see no good reason why farming could not be quite as well 
taught within the District as elsewhere, if an agricultural 
school and experimental farm were established therein. As to 
“ lobbying about the halls of Congress,” I think it quite as 
degrading a practice as Mr. Burt can do, and therefore shall 
hardly shock his sensibility by being guilty of it. I have, how¬ 
ever, no hesitation in avowing my entire willingness, nay, my 
most earnest desire to unite with other friends of American 
husbandry, in petitioning Congress to appropriate the Smith¬ 
sonian legacy to establish an agricultural school and experi¬ 
mental farm somewhere within the District of Columbia. This 
money, be it remembered, is no part of our Government funds, 
but was bequeathed by a philanthropic foreigner, for a purpose 
designated in such general terms, as would well admit of such 
an appropriation; since there is no profession whatever which 
requires a more general knowledge of the sciences and arts, 
than that of agriculture, to carry it to the highest attainable 
point of perfection. What, let me ask, would do more, nay, so 
much, towards the accomplishment of this most desirable ob¬ 
ject, as such an agricultural school and experimental farm as 
might be established at the seat of the General Government? 
Permit me now to notice Mr. Burt’s specified objections 
to a National Society of Agriculture. The first is,—“ the 
great extent of our country and the reason he assigns 
in support of this objection, is, that owing to “ the differ¬ 
ence of soil, climate and productions ,”—“what is interesting 
to one section is uninteresting to another.” The objection 
itself might have some weight, if one indispensable con¬ 
dition of the society had been, that there should be 11 four,” or 
even one delegate “from 25 States.” But such a requirement 
has never been made, nor, I believe, even thought of by any 
friend of the scheme; of course this objection has no validity; 
for should the scheme be generally approved, members enough, 
and more than enough will be found in the States most con¬ 
venient to the place of meeting, to constitute a numerous 
association. Mr. Burt’s reason in support of his objection is 
really a strong argument in favor of our plan. For admitting 
it to be true, that “what is interesting to one section is un¬ 
interesting to another,” it is all important to the perpetuity 
of our Union, which every true friend to his country most 
ardently desires,—that this deplorable insensibility and apathy 
of the States towards the things which constitute their indi¬ 
vidual welfare, should be changed as speedily as possible. 
And I put it to the dispassionate judgment of any intelligent, 
unprejudiced man to decide, whether any means could be 
better calculated to effect this most desirable change, than 
annually to bring together, from the remotest parts of our 
grand confederacy, a large assemblage of the most intelli¬ 
gent, experienced, and zealous of our agricultural brethren. 
To bring them together, too, as they surely would be brought, 
solely for the purposes of mutually interchanging their local 
experience; of mutual consultation as to the best means of 
improving the husbandry, not of this, that, or the other sec¬ 
tion, but of our entire country ; and above all, for the noble, 
the patriotic purpose of diffusing to the very extremities of 
our yet happy Union, that fraternal spirit and cordial sym¬ 
pathy in all each other’s general concerns,—the increasing 
Want of which every reflecting man most deeply feels, and 
which neither the constitution nor the laws of the land can 
possibly supply. 
Mr. Burt’s second objection is,— “the expense ” of the plan. 
To this, I hope, it will suffice to reply, tnat none would be 
subjected to it but those who were perfectly aware of its 
amount, and voluntarily agree to pay it, in the confident be¬ 
lief that they were contributing a portion of their income 
which they could well spare, towards establishing a society 
that, if aided by an agricultural school and experimental 
farm, would disseminate more rapidly than could be done by 
any other means whatever, that knowledge of scientific and 
practical husbandry which is more or less wanted in every 
part of the United States. The attainment of this great de¬ 
sideratum would at once elevate the yeomanry of our beloved 
country to that rank which their relative importance to our 
national welfare so justly entitles them to hold; and would 
go far, very far, towards exterminating forever all those sec¬ 
tional prejudices, jealousies, and groundless dislikes which 
are at once the disgrace of all who cherish them, and the 
deadliest bane to our national happiness. 
That the foregoing truly patriotic purposes and objects 
would form the connecting link,—the endearing bond of un¬ 
ion between the members of such a national society of agri¬ 
culture as its friends most anxiously desire to establish, I 
cannot permit myself for a moment to doubt. But I would 
most surely oppose it with all my might, could I possibly 
suppose with the funny Mr. Burt, that the delegates to it 
would do nothing more than “ get a big dinner, a few sups of 
good wine i tell and hear some large stories; build a few cas¬ 
tles in the air , and return home again.” To this I can only 
say, that if a sufficient number of planters and farmers can 
be found in the whole United States, willing to raise and 
spend for such purposes, “ ten thousand dollars a year,” 
which is the sum fixed on by Mr. Burt, as the annual cost 
of a National Society of Agriculture, I should not question 
their right to do so, but should certainly never become a 
member of such an association. The conceit, however, of 
Mr. Burt, in portraying it, is quite too good for me to desire 
that any part of the merit should be taken from him. It is 
well calculated to raise a laugh at the expense of the con¬ 
templated society and its projectors, at least among that 
numerous jest-loving tribe who care not a fig, provided they 
can indulge their risible faculties, whether it be at some¬ 
thing really ridiculous, or at an object of the greatest na¬ 
tional importance. Far, therefore, from me be the wish to 
deprive so merry a brother farmer as Mr. Burt of the self 
gratulation which he evinces in having excogitated so good 
a thing as his anticipation of the actings and doings of such 
an agricultural society for the whole American people, as he 
has thought proper to imagine that Mr. Robinson and my¬ 
self would organize and abet, if we had our way. Indeed, I 
am so great a friend to laughing, rather than crying when 
we can help it, that I assure our jocular friend, Mr. Burt, 
he is most heartily welcome to tickle himself and others as 
long as he possibly can, with the above or any other merry 
conceit that he can hatch, either against the contem- 
templated society itself, or any of its friends, not excepting 
myself. If the attempt to organize it should encounter noth¬ 
ing more formidable than such paper-shot, the more that are 
fired at it the better; for they will probably attract towards 
it the attention of many who otherwise would hardly know 
that such a thing was in agitation, and all that the friends 
of the scheme desire to ensure its success, is, a thorough ex¬ 
amination of it in all its bearings upon individual and na¬ 
tional interests. 
A word or two more, and I have done. After Mr. Burt has 
fixed it in his own mind, and apparently much to his own 
gratification, that the members of a national society of agricul¬ 
ture would meet at an expense of 10,000 dollars a year, solely 
for the purpose of eating, drinking, and making themselves 
merry with each other’s long yarns, and building castles in the 
air, he proceeds very confidently to ask, if it would not be far 
better to spend the above sum in the gratuitous distribution of 
your paper, or some others of the same kind ? I entirely agree 
with him that the latter expenditure would be better, infinitely 
better. But it so happens that the society which he has labor¬ 
ed so hard to describe is entirely the creature of his own brain 
and can never elsewhere exist. Nay, it is so extravagant a 
caricature of any National Society of Agriculture which possi¬ 
bly could be formed in the United States, that, were any of the 
true friends of our cause to notice it seriously, they would 
make themselves even more ridiculous than Mr. Burt has at¬ 
tempted to make them. Should this attempt bring upon him¬ 
self the ridicule which he has so heedlessly and without any 
just provocation, aimed at others, he will have none to blame 
but himself. 
I remain, gentlemen, your friend and constant reader, 
July 26th, 1841. JAMES M. GARNETT. 
Boynton’s Straw Cutter. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I notice in a late number of the 
Cultivator, a reply to Mr. Jacob Glutz of Marrietta, Pa. referring 
him to Green’s and other straw cutters for horse power. 
Will you have the goodness to refer to 5th volume of the Cul¬ 
tivator, p. 220, and look at an advertisement there inserted, of 
an improved straw cutter for horse and water power. If more 
information is wanted on the subject, I am prepared to satisfy 
you by certificates now in my possession that it is not recom¬ 
mended beyond its ability. By adding to your remarks, the 
straw cutter above referred to, you will perhaps confer a favor 
upon the community, as well as do justice to the patentee. 
Respectfully yours, JOHN BOYNTON. 
N. B. A machine can be seen at Mr. Brown’s agricultural 
rooms, State-street, Albany. 
South Coventry, (Conn.) Aug. 20, 1841. 
Preparation of iLard. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker— The following is our mode of 
trying up lard, of which we make three qualities; that from the 
intestines, that from the leaf-fat, and that from the upper part 
of the back-bones. The latter is the superfine. So soon as the 
intestines are taken from the hogs, while yet warm, the fat is 
rid off and thrown into cold water, where it remains to soak 
some hours ; it is then washed out and put into other fresh wa¬ 
ter in which it remains until next morning. It is then cut up 
into pieces not more than two or three inches long, rinsed again 
and immediately put on in iron boilers thoroughly cleaned. The 
fire is then applied, which must be free from smoke during the 
whole process of boiling, which should be continued for at least 
twelve hours. It is very frequently stirred during the boiling, and 
the bottom of the boiler scraped hard with the sharp edge of 
the iron ladle to keep the cracklings from adhering and burning, 
which they are apt to do towards the end of the process if the 
fire is strong and the boiling rapid. When the cracklings begin 
to burnbrown, and the lard becomes clear as water and scarcely 
any evaporation is visible, the fire should be slackened. The 
bubbles rising to the top will be as clear as cut glass. Continue 
the simmering gently until the cracklings are quite brown. 
They never become crisped] but although brown and entirely 
done, will be soft and flabby. The clearness of the lard, the 
brown color of the cracklings, the crystal purity of the bubbles, 
and the nutlike scent arising, indicate the end of the boiling. 
Take the boilers off the fire or extinguish the fire, and when the 
lard is so cool that you can bear its heat on your finger dipped 
into it without pain, strain it off into clean tight vessels. Ex¬ 
clude the air; and you will have a nice article even from gut 
fat. 
The leaf and chine fat are soaked in water at least forty- 
eight hours, after being thoroughly washed and cut up into bits 
not more than cubic inches in size. The frequent agitation and 
stirring of these in the cold water makes the lard much better. 
When put into the boilers the water should be carefully drain¬ 
ed off, so that as little water as possible should go into the boil¬ 
ers with the fat. Apply the fire, and in eight hours these two 
kinds, which should be kept separate, will be done. The lard 
clear as water, the cracklings nut brown and crisp, and giving 
as they simmer the sound of rustling dry leaves, emitting the 
scent of nicely fried pork, and giving off scarcely any percepti¬ 
ble evaporation. Stir very often during the boiling and let no 
cracklings stick to the bottom of the boiler. For the last hour 
the boiling should be very gentle, rather brisk simmering than 
boiling, to prevent burning, which must be most carefully 
avoided. Cool and strain off, and exclude air as directed for gut 
fat, and you will have a snowy white, firm, fragrant article that 
will keep for years without the slightest alteration. Never put 
another parcel into the boilers during the process, and when 
one parcel is done, have the boilers most carefully scoured 
and so clean that they will not soil a cambric handkerchief. 
Much depends on thorough washing, soaking, and agitation in 
clean pure water before boiling; much on careful boiling and 
stirring, but most of all on the perfect purity of the boiler. The 
slightest rancidity, burnt grease or oxydation will impart to the 
whole parcel of lard boiled in it,offensive or injurious scent, taste 
or color. Although I have stated the usual time of boiling, you 
must not be governed by the time, but by the indications men¬ 
tioned as produced by boiling. These indications must appear, 
no matter what the time has been, before the boiling or trying 
up is complete. Leaf and chine lard thus prepared are supe¬ 
rior even to the best butter for making pastry, biscuit, all kinds 
of hard cakes and jumbles. Lard, like Dutter, should be kept in 
cool, dry apartments, subjected to as little atmospheric change 
as possible. In this country we usually keep lard in kegs or fir¬ 
kins of the linden or lime (tilia) tree, containing from 55 to 60 
pounds. I however, prefer well glazed stone jars or tin buckets, 
because they are more impervious to the air. Very truly, gen¬ 
tlemen your obedient servant, JOHN LEWIS. 
Llangollen, ( Ky .) Aug. 27, 1841. 
©n Harvesting- Grain. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Observing the remarks in the 
Cultivator for August, p. 127 2 respecting the proper time of cut¬ 
ting wheat to prevent its shrinking, having a piece of about four 
acres of the Italian spring wheat, rather late sowed, I observed 
it to be lightly struck with rust. I thought it a good opportu¬ 
nity to try the effect of early cutting. I accordingly had about one- 
third of the piece cut when the grain would have been said to be 
quite too green, although the sap had filled the kernel, but was 
easily mashed between the thumb and finger. Fearful of its being 
too green, I let the remainder stand six or seven days, and cut 
about half of the remainder, and four or five days the rest; ob¬ 
serving the greenest of the first cutting had shrunk the most, I 
supposed I had made a mistake in cutting too early; but on get¬ 
ting in my wheat, I found the last cutting had shrunk much 
more than the first. The next question was to account for the 
difference, why that which stood and became fully ripe in the 
most favorable weather, should be lightest. On reflection, to 
me the case is obvious—that, is, while the grain is ripening the 
sap and nourishment is flowing to the head—that when the ker¬ 
nel is full and can receive no more nourishment, and the straw 
becomes drier than the grain, a reaction in the circulation takes 
place, and the drying straw draws the sap and nourishment 
from the grain, which causes the greater shrinkage, but when 
the grain is cut in the state above mentioned, all circulation 
must of necessity cease; and I Dive no doubt but the same prin¬ 
ciple will apply to Indian corn, rye, barley, oats, Ac. 
Maysville, IS. Y. Aug. 25, 1841. JABEZ BURROWS. 
Mott's Agrcultural Furnace Again. 
When I gave a notice, last fall, of the above, I did not expect 
to be called on for any particular information respecting sizes, 
prices, Ac. and had no further interest in the business than to 
introduce it to the farmers. But having received so many let¬ 
ters of inquiry on the subject, and to save me the trouble of an¬ 
swering them individually, I will, with permission, reply through 
the medium of this paper. 
The one I purchased last fall I continued in use during the 
winter, and have found no reason to alter the opinion then ex¬ 
pressed; but on the contrary, I am more confirmed, and do not 
hesitate, without qualification, to recommend it, with the late 
improvements, some of which were suggested by R. in the 2d 
number of the present volume of this paper, superior to any 
thing, for the purposes intended, which 1 have ever used, or 
which has fallen under my observation. 
Mr. Mott has lately sent me one of the capacity of two bar¬ 
rels, containing the improvements, which consist in casting 
“ points of attachment” or gudgeons, on the rim or sides of the 
kettle, “ so that with a crane or lever” it may be raised out of 
the casing and the contents emptied out, and to facilitate which 
a loop or eye is cast on the bottom of the kettle, so that it can 
be done without burning the fingers. The flange also, has been 
extended beyond the edge of the casing, so that if water boil 
over it will not run down the flues and put out the fire. 
There was an error in my former communication, which I 
take the present opportunity to rectify. I said, “one furnace 
will suit the different sizes of cauldrons, varying from one to 
four barrels,” Ac. This arose in copying an advertisement, 
which referred to the first that was’made, where the casing ex¬ 
tended only part of the way. 
When it is considered that they require only a small piece of 
pipe to conduet the smoke, they will be found less costly, and 
take up less room, than those set in brick, when furnace doors, 
grates, brick, lime, and the inconvenience of obtaining masons, 
are taken into the account, besides the convenience of lifting 
off and on to clean the flue or empty the contents. 
In answer to a letter I addressed to Mr. Mott, he says —“ I 
have sold them to farmers to boil food for stock—to go to Cuba, 
for boiling sugar—to the upholsters to boil hair—to bakers—- 
druggists—tallow chandlers—to boil and bleach oil—to make 
starch—to steam and boil wood—to dyers—to the shipwright to 
boil tar and pitch, without the danger of its taking fire, as it 
may boil over—many have been sold for washing, and 1 have 
sent some on whaling and sealing voyages.” “My prices are 
as follows : for half barrels $11—barrels $18—one and an half 
barrel $21—two barrels $26—three barrels $35 and four barrels 
$45. The furnace part is made very heavy, so that it will be 
very durable.” 
“Iam sending many into Virginia, where they take well 
among the planters.” 
They may be obtained of J. L. Mott, 264 Water-street, New- 
York; G. G. Heermance, 5 Green-street,Albany; Dudley & Thomp¬ 
son, Buffalo, and W. Sc R. P„ Ruser, Cineinnatti. 
CALEB N. BEMENT. 
Sun Dial. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Will you allow me a small 
space in the Cultivator for next month to say a few words about 
the mode of setting the sun dials you so favorably noticed in 
your last paper, and one or two other observations regarding 
them. 
The best and most convenient way of setting them is, after 
leveling the pedestal or plane on which the dial is to be placed, 
(being particular to get it level in an east and west direction,) 
then to adjust a clock or watch to the true apparent time, (either 
by setting it by another time piece known to be correct,or by equal 
altitudes or other observation of the sun,) and then at 12 o'clock, 
M. or at ten minutes before or after, to set the dial true, and 
make it fast to the pedestal by screws or nails. 
They can be placed by setting the stile or gnomon true north 
and south by a meridian line or a compass, but the foregoing 
method is preferable. 
They are accurate for the latitude of this place,f41 Q 36') and 
will be sufficiently so for 150 or 200 miles north of this latitude, 
and will be entirely correct for any latitude if the dial is 
inclined in setting, so that the edge of the gnomon that casts 
the shadow will be parallel with the pole of the earth; in 
other words, if when the latitude is less than that of the dial, 
the south side is elevated as many degrees as the latitude is 
less, and when the latitude is greater, the north side is raised 
in the same proportion. 
Your remark that my manufactory of dials was called into 
existence by the suggestions of Mr. Walsh, is not strictly cor¬ 
rect, as I had been engaged in preparing for making them, for 
some time before Mr. Walsh’s articles met my eye, as will be 
seen by turning to my note to you in the June Cultivator; but 
his suggestions hastened the manufacture and I am under spe¬ 
cial obligations to him for his encouragement and his effort to 
make them known and introduce them into use. 
Kensington , Ct. Sept. 15, 1841. SHELDON MOORE 
