ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
The Hessian 2s*ly. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker—I thought the question in rela¬ 
tion to the propagation of the Hessian fly had been settled more 
than 20 years ago, until I observed in your last number of the 
Cultivator, it is still open, in some parts of the country; I there¬ 
fore send you an extract from the American Farmer, edited by 
J. S. Skinner in Baltimore, vol. 5, p.24i, October, 1823. In this 
extract, a former publication is referred to, which will be found 
in the 1st vol. of the same periodical, p. 296, and the communi¬ 
cation dated October, 1817. Yours respectfully, r ,rw-tir-c> 
JOHN H. COOKE. 
Bremo, Fluvanna, Co. Va. Aug. 18, 1841. 
EXTRACT. 
To the Editor of the American Farmer —I send you herein, 
the blades of wheat with the eggs of the Hessian fly upon them. 
They are too minute to be examined satisfactorily without the 
aid of a magnifying glass, though they are discoverable by a 
good naked eye. 
After keeping some blades of wheat three days, wrapt in a 
paper in my pocket, and finding the eggs were still discernible, 
(although the blades are much withered, and some of the eggs 
missing,) I hope the fresh ones enclosed this morning may 
reach you in such preservation as to enable you in future to re¬ 
cognize the eggs in your own fields. 
I have observed for seven years past, about the 10th of Octo¬ 
ber, in this part ofVirginia, the eggs are every where to be found 
upon the volunteer, and early sown wheat—they remain in this 
state from six to ten days, when they hatch into very minute 
worms, and immediately descend to the tender parts of the 
plant, enveloped by the blade near the root, where for a few 
days at this season, they may be seen in this minute magot 
form, which soon changes into the chrysalis—at first of a clear 
transparent white, which as it enlarges, shows a spot in the 
middle, and finally assumes a flaxseed color and size. 
I have been thus particular, although I published this account 
of the Hessian fly several years ago, as subsequent observa- 
tious, more particularly, excited by Dr. Say ? s account of this 
insect, in his communication to the Philadelphia Society for the 
Promotion of the Natural Sciences, have fully satisfied me that 
that learned and distinguished naturalist, has fallen into an er¬ 
ror in relation to the propagation of this destructive insect. 
It may be said that these eggs may be the deposit of some 
other fly; but I have uniformly found them when the well 
known Hessian flies, are seen to make their first appearance in 
the fall, and immediately preceding the fatal influence of this 
enemy to our wheat crops. I have seen the worms descending 
from the deserted shell of the egg towards the stalk of the plant, 
and upon stripping down the blade, I have discovered a worm 
of the same appearance, attached to the tender stalk of the 
wheat near the root, and finally in the course of successive ex¬ 
aminations, I found these worms after a few days disappearing 
and in their place, the white transparent chrysalis. 
By giving the foregoing a place in your valuable paper it may 
possibly lead to some further discoveries of greater value to 
the community than the mere modus propagandi in this hitherto 
unassailable enemy, to the most valuable of our agricultural 
products. Yours, &c. &c. J. H. COCKE. 
The Woburns. 
In my last, I mentioned that I should shortly have some Wo¬ 
burn and Berkshire hogs fed by some disinterested person by 
measure. After the experiments made by the two Mr. Barclay s, 
and between Mr. Fanning and myself, had resulted so favorably 
to the Woburns, the advocates of the black Berkshires contend¬ 
ed that although the Woburns had gained most, that they con¬ 
sumed more. To test this matter, I made a proposition in the 
Kentucky Farmer, to have some of each breed put into the 
hands of some disinterested gentleman, who should feed them all 
alike, and report the result. This proposition was taken by 
Mr. Wm. R. Duncan and Mr. James F. Taylor. The time was 
determined by Mr. Taylor. I wished to have them fed at least 
thirty days. I also made a proposition in the Kentucky Farmer, 
more than a year ago, to have a parcel of pigs raised and treat¬ 
ed alike by some disinterested person. This proposition has 
never been accepted in Kentucky. A gentleman of Ohio, pro¬ 
poses to accept of it, if none of the Kentuckians should. 
An accident happened to Mr.Duncan’s sow “ Caroline Scott,” 
so that she was not brought. Mr. Taylor brought his black 
Berkshire sow “ Belinda,” over two years old. IbTought my Wo¬ 
burn sow Patience, not quite thirteen months old, and my Wo¬ 
burn sow Courtenay, over three years old. They were put into 
the hands of Mr. James Weathers and were all fed in separate 
stalls, and were attended to by him personally. We had two 
objects in view: first, to see which would consume most food ; 
and the second, which would gain most upon the food con¬ 
sumed. 
The result has been as favorable as the warmest advocates 
of the Woburns could have wished. Patience was proved to lie 
the smallest eater, and under very unfavorable circumstances 
gaiued as much as the Berkshire, whilst Courtenay, upon the 
same quantity of food, gained in ten days nine pounds the most. 
Below you have Mr. Weather's statement. 
y SAMUEL D. MARTIN. 
Colbyville, ( ICy .) Sept. 1S41. 
A trial between the Black Berkshires and Woburns, fed by mea¬ 
sure, by James Weathers, Jr. at the request of Dr. Martin and 
James F. Taylor of Clarke county, Ky. 
(a copy.) 
“ There were put under my care, on the 13th August, by Dr. 
Martin and Jas. F. Taylor, two Woburn and one Berkshire sows, 
for the purpose of being fed; and I received directions to give 
each one five pounds of corn a day, and to increase the quantity 
until I should find what quantity the smallest eater would con¬ 
sume. On that evening, I gave to each one of them two and a 
half pounds of corn, and the next day five pounds each, and on 
the 16th, nearly six pounds to each. One of the Woburns (Pa¬ 
tience,) failed to eat all of her allowance, and the next day was 
very lame, (I suppose slightly foundered,) and their food was 
again reduced to five pounds each per day, until the 20th, when 
(Patience having recovered,) it was gradually increased so as 
to give each one fifty-two pounds of corn in the ten days, when 
they were weighed, and the following is the result: 
Mr. Taylor’s Black Berkshire Eelinda, gained.21 lbs. 
Dr. Martin’s Woburn Patience, gained. 21 lbs. 
Dr. Martin’s Woburn Courtenay, gained. 30 lbs. 
JAMES WEATHERS, Jr.” 
Clarke County, Ky. Aug. 23, 1841. 
I notice a piece over the signature of James Jones, headed 
“Dr. Martin’s pig beaten,” and the weight of a pig is given at 
four months old, that had eat six gallons of [buttermilk] milk 
a day ! ! (save a little for family use.) Mr. Jones is informed 
that Dr. Martin’s pias were purposely kept buck from growing, 
until they were four months old, at which time the Doctor com¬ 
menced full feeding. Although six gallons of milk a day is the 
greatest consumption by a pig, ever heard of, Dr. M. hopes Mr. 
Jones will report his weights until his pig reaches eight months 
and seven days, which was the last time the Dr.’s pigs were 
weighed. But only think of a pig using 43 lbs. of milk a day !! 
Small eaters !! A few eows would be necessary to feed many 
&uch pigs. M. 
THE CULTIVATOR 
179 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I have for about two years been 
engaged in getting up a machine, under the broad name of Corn 
Planter and Seed Sower: which has been secured by letters Pa¬ 
tent ; and although awarded the Scott’s Legacy Premium, ($20,) 
by the Franklin Institute at Philadelphia, I was not satisfied 
that it had attained to its highest state of perfection. I have 
therefore, instead of introducing it to the public at large, confi¬ 
ned it to narrow limits, and made it my untiring object by day 
and by night, by actual experiment and deep study, to bring it 
to its greatest perfection. IIow far I have succeeded, the re¬ 
ports of the late Fair of the State Agricultural Society of New- 
York, at Syracuse, and of the American Institute at New-York, 
will satisfy the public mind, better than my own attestations. 
The above cut is a representation of my double corn planter, 
which plants two rows at once, and makes the rowsboth ways, 
to be drawn by a horse. Similar letters refer to similar parts, 
I have also machines for planting one row of corn, horse pow¬ 
er, which may be arranged to drop the corn any distance apart, 
from a continued drill, to hills of five feet or more. It will also 
drop two or more kinds of seed in the same row, at given points, 
Old’s Corn Planter—[Fig- 85.] 
and may be applied to dropping the fine manure in the hill with 
the seed. The same principle applies to the hand drills, lor 
sowing or planting the seeds for the various Toot crops, &c. 1 
have also a plan for sowing wheat in drills or broad ca^t, wmen 
will apply to all grains and grass seed, together with the line 
manures. I have appointed J. Scott & Co., 21 Cortland-street. 
New-York, agents to manufacture and sell the above described 
machines, where they can be seen at anytime. All orders irom 
any part of the United States, post paid, directed to them, will 
be promptly attended to. Those wishing to obtain machines 
for the coming spring, will do well to order them soon. I intend 
myself, Providence permitting, to travel through the western 
and southern states this fall and coming winter, to introduce 
the above articles where they may be wanted. , 
Editors of agricultural papers generally, and all papers friend¬ 
ly to agricultural improvements, are invited to give the above 
such notice as they may think practicable. They will also con¬ 
fer a favor to the subscriber by sending him a copy containing 
their quotations and remarks, directed to his residence. 
Marlborough, Ft. CALVIN OLDS. 
Traveling Memoranda—-Us. 5 . 
Cincinnati, O., August 27, 1841. 
Editors of Cultivator —My last was written from “Prospect 
Hill,” the name of Judge Beaty’s farm—a mime that, to eastern 
people, who build their houses upon a bare hill, so as to be seen 
of the world, -would appear very inappropriate, for the prospect 
does not extend beyond his own farm. And here let me remark 
that a traveler upon the great thoroughfares of this state, never 
sees the best part of Kentucky. The best houses are located 
back from the road, and the way of approach to them is general¬ 
ly through one of the woodland pastures that add such great 
beauty to Kentucky scenery; and it is no uncommon thing that 
the only approach to a large plantation lies through one or two 
other plantations. The inhabitants preferring private to pub¬ 
lic roads, and not seeming to view it as any serious inconve¬ 
nience that they have to pass a dozen gates between the mansion 
and the public road. But their gates are such as that too nu¬ 
merous class who have been “ putting up the bars” all their 
lives, without getting the gap stopped, might examine and pat¬ 
tern after with profit. 
Judge Beaty’s name has lately become well known as a wri¬ 
ter of several essays upon Kentucky agriculture, and a letter 
upon the profits of the hemp culture upon his own farm. The 
Judge also keeps 4 or 600 fine wool sheep, and which appeared 
in very good condition, and what appeared very singular to me, 
he takes no trouble whatever to prevent breeding in-and-in, and 
stoutly maintains that the importance of constantly crossing 
is entirely overrated. Although I could not defend my theory 
by example, of the deleterious effects of breeding in and in, yet 
I could not become a convert to the Judge’s theory. 
One thing I learned from the long experience of the Judge 
and many others, that the hemp crop, although such a heavy 
one, does not exhaust the soil. He also thinks that water rot¬ 
ting may be profitably adopted in many places. 
Having spent just such a time as agricultural brethren should 
always spend together, my friend ordered his carriage to the 
door early on Monday morning, and took me into Maysville, six 
miles, in time to take the morning boat for Cincinnati, which 
is about 60 miles below. Although this is “ the river of beau¬ 
ty,” it is now so sunk below the level of the rich bottom lands 
upon its banks, that we were more interested in viewing our 
remarkable proximity to the bottom of the stream, than look¬ 
ing at the farms along the shore, except those which are elevat¬ 
ed upon the sides of the ranges of high hills that every where 
hem in the valley of almost all the great western streams. It 
may be interesting to some, that I should say that the Ohio va¬ 
ries 60 feet, from low to high water. The bottom lands are very 
broad and level, and in the great flood of 1832, were covered in 
many places from hill to hill, producing such devastation and 
distress as only can be known to the “ dwellers upon the migh¬ 
ty waters.” This great and flourishing city of the west, is 
built upon the “ first and second bottom,” the upper level be¬ 
ing some 60 feet higher than the first, which was found by the 
flood of 1832 to be several feet too low, for the whole of its 
broad surface was completely submerged, so that large steam¬ 
ers traversed the most populous and business streets. Having 
formerly been a resident here, when I first came to the west, I 
was enabled after an absence of a dozen years, to realize the 
magic like change that is so rapidly going on throughout the 
Great West. I wish I could truly say that it was in all cases a 
change that brought a great increase of human happiness in its 
train. But until men cease to look for wealth and happiness in 
connection only, and for honor and respectability only in towns 
and cities, wc must expect to see crime and degradation as the 
accompaniments of what we are prone to call“ great improve¬ 
ments.” 
But amid all the change that I see here, I find one “ that can, 
that will, that must,” produce an increase of happiness—the 
blessed and blessing giving spirit of temperance has hovered 
over this spot. The fruits of the visit of this lovely goddess 
are visible here, as they are every where that the inhabitants of 
city, town, country, or farm, encourage her to alight as she flics 
over our country. As another evidence of improvement, allow 
me to say in connection with this subject, that although only a 
few years have elapsed since fashion dictated that every gen¬ 
tleman in this region should keep his sideboard loaded with 
liquor, yet during my visit to Kentucky and this vicinity, I have 
not, in one single instance, seen such a thing, and in only one 
instance have I been solicited to take a glass of wine, which, as 
the host did not partake of himself, went the round of our cir¬ 
cle and from the room untouched. 
But enough of moralizing—now to business. Early in the 
morning after my arrival in Cincinnati, I made near my distant 
acquaintance with my friends Affleck and Foster, the editor and 
publisher of a very neat monthly journal in pamphlet form, de¬ 
voted to the pleasing task of elevating the character and stand¬ 
ing of the cultivators of the American soil, and directly after¬ 
wards, I received an invitation which I accepted from Mr. Wm. 
Neff, to take a seat in his carriage, and in company with Mr. 
Affleck, visit his farm about seven miles out, on the turnpike 
leading towards Indiana. Mr. Neff is a gentleman of fortune, 
retired from the business of a merchant, and has taken this very 
pleasant method of amusing himself by doing good to the cause 
of agricultural improvement in every branch of it that he un¬ 
dertakes. 
Here I found a very extensive and beautiful stock of Short 
Horns, which the great drouth that prevails hereabouts has 
brouuht into the stable for feed, as Mr. Neff has determined for 
the purpose of getting them more generally introduced into 
common use through the country, to offer the whole lot at auc¬ 
tion a few days hence, on a long credit, and is, therefore, oblig¬ 
ed to feed them, to keep them in a lit condition for sale. He 
also has a very fine lot of hogs, of the Berkshire and Irish Gra¬ 
zier breeds. Mr. Neff is an extensive pork packer, and although 
he prefers the Berkshire for his own use, yet thinks that among 
a people that make pork, as Pindar did his razors, to sell, with¬ 
out regard to quality, that a larger breed would be more profit¬ 
able. 
Mr. Neff is also a successful cultivator of the grape, though 
by no means to so great an extent as Mr. Longworth of this 
city, who is probably one of the largest vintners in the Union. 
I saw on Mr. Neff’s farm a specimen of hedge, of the Osage 
Orange, that for beauty, and probably will also be for useful¬ 
ness, before any other specimen of hedge that I have ever seen 
in this country. As soon as this is sufficiently grown and prov¬ 
ed, Mr. Neff' will give some account of it that will be useful to 
others. After spending a delightful day, we rode into town ful¬ 
ly impressed with the truth of the saying, tha\ 
“ God made the country, and man made the town 
or in other words, that the beauty, comforts, and enjoyments of 
a country life are far superior to those of the town. 
The 26th I spent in that very busy occupation of seeing every 
thing, but more particularly in examining the great extension 
of the city, and great increase of manufacturing establish¬ 
ments, all of which indicate an improved state of agriculture, 
for we must constantly bear in mind that that is the foundation 
stone of all commercial and manufacturing prosperity. 
If your limits would permit, I would give you a long chapter 
upon the subject of the pork business alone. 
Hog killing, and pork packing, and bacon smoking, is carried 
on here to an extent almost surpassing belief. I am sorry to 
say that all those engaged in it the last year are likely to suf¬ 
fer great loss by the depression of prices. And the farmer is 
destined to suffer this year, as the depression will now affect 
the article in his hands. A gentleman well acquainted and well 
informed in the business, thinks that pork will not nett the far¬ 
mer this fall more than 1 1-2 or 2 cents a pound. I also visited 
the markets here, as I look upon them as affording a pretty fair 
index of the surrouuding country. I need not have been told 
that the country had suffered for want of rain—the vegetable 
productions, particularly potatoes, showed that. Peaches, 
which I have often seen sold in this market for 12 cents a bush¬ 
el, are now few and far between at one-fourth that sum a piece 
and as poor as they are dear at that. Total destruction of 
the germ of this fruit took place last winter, throughout the 
west. 
Apples are also very poor this season. Speaking of fruits and 
vegetables, reminds me of a new enemy of man which has made 
its appearance this summer in some parts of Kentucky in great 
quantities. It is a black, or in some, black with lead colored 
stripes, bug or fly, about half or three-quarters of an inch long 
and said by those acquainted to belong to the cantharides fa¬ 
mily, which is very destructive upon potato tops and many 
other green and tender plants. 
Last evening I was called upon by a well known friend of ag¬ 
riculture, Mr. John J. Mallard, with a most cordial invitation 
to ride with him to his farm about seven miles N. E. from the 
city, where I found probably the largest and best stock of Berk¬ 
shire hogs in Ohio. Mr. M. personally superintends his farm 
and breeding stock, and also his pork packing and shipping 
house in the city. I was highly pleased with him and his fami¬ 
ly, and his stock and farm, and would gladly have spent ano¬ 
ther day under his hospitable roof, but having already engaged 
my passage in the fast mail for Baltimore this day at 11 o’clock, 
I was compelled, as I have often been of late, to forego the plea¬ 
sure of a more lengthy visit where I was made to feel that I was 
welcome—welcome too, not as a friend or personal acquaint¬ 
ance, but one who has, I am bound to believe, become favorably 
known by name, to many of the readers of the Cultivator, as a 
friend to agriculture. 
The river is too low to admit of steamers ascending to Wheel¬ 
ing, and, therefore, in a few hours I shall be on my way through 
the great and fertile state of Ohio, right sorry that time will 
not allow me to take notes by the way. Anxiety to reach Wash¬ 
ington during the present session of Congress, will also prevent 
me from adopting a slower mode of locomotion, and passing 
through Pennsylvania, and accepting the public invitation 
which I have just seen in the August number of the Cultivator, 
to visit Mr. Wm. P. Kinzer, and whom I now thus publicly an4 
cordially thank and assure that if it ever comes in my way 
to become personally acquainted with him, I shall not neglect 
it. And although it is not in my way of business to “deliver 
lectures on agriculture,” or to “ prepare myself,” except upon 
the spur of the moment, for anything, yet I hope when we do 
meet, that my Pennsylvania friend will find that my conversa¬ 
tional powers are not entirely lacking. 
And now, Messrs. Editors, I have only time to say, that I 
shall continue to furnish my “ memoranda,” as I progress along 
my tour, which you must administer to your readers in “bro¬ 
ken doses,” taking great care not to produce a surfeit. And I 
wish you to give early notice to all wno are determined to fbK 
^pw my notes through my journey, that they may make early 
