THE CULTIVATOR 
21 
Ephraim Parker’s paper on the Dairy Farming of 
Herkimer County, was applied to the test, and the liquid 
found stationary between 5 and 6. The same result 
was found on testing the Cutting of Com Stalks by Wm. 
Clark, Jr. The value of such detailed experiments en¬ 
title the contributors to the appellation of public bene¬ 
factors. 
C. N. Bement’s communications on Improved Pigs, 
being brought to the tes‘, the liquid rose to 5, with flights 
to 6. 
Improved Pigs. —Here is an improvement which no 
one, however slightly acquainted with the animal, can 
deny. The dullest eye can distinguish between the 
round fat, beautiful Berkshire, and the thin, lean, long- 
nosed and long-legged hound-like creature, which seems 
more fitted for the chase than for the sty. The farmer 
feels the difference in his corn-crib, and more than all in 
his pocket. The difference in the cost of feeding and in 
the pork made, between the improved varieties and those 
generally fed twenty-five years since, is not less than 
forty per cent. This is the result of skillful selection 
and crosses. 
William Darlington’s Use of Lime, was brought to 
the test, and the liquid was found at 5, but rose to 9. On 
bringing his Agricultural Botany for examination, 9 was 
found the point of attraction, the liquid bubbling and 
throwing off luminous brilliant scintillations. 
H. A. S. Dearborn.— On applying the thermometer to 
the writings of H. A. S. Dearborn, in connection with 
Messrs. Wilder, Walker, Manning, Pond, Warren, 
Perkins, Cushing, and other illustrious pioneers of 
Massachusetts Horticulture, the liquid was much excited 
and luminous, with many brilliant sparks, circling 
round 7; on turning over his various papers, found so 
much good sense and strength of reasoning, joined to a 
pure and masterly style, it rose with velocity to 9. 
The name of Washington is entitled to deathlike 
veneration, because he made our country free. Who 
can dispute his claim to an equal perpetuity of gratitude, 
who has made that country beautiful and delightful? 
When the creation was finished, “God planted a garden 
in Eden,” from which our first parents were driven for 
disobedience, and instructed to till the ground for them¬ 
selves. But Infinite Wisdom invested their descendants 
with reason, by which virtuous industry could restore the 
temporal primeval blessing, by the Godlike act of plant¬ 
ing another garden, replete with fruits as numerous and 
delicious, and flowers as beautiful and as fragrant, as those 
of blissful Eden. The man who has not only done this for 
himself, but who by his talents has exerted a praisewor¬ 
thy emulation in others to do the same, not only in his 
own city and state, but throughout his country, isH. A. S. 
Dearborn. 
Downing’s Landscape Gardening and Rural Architec¬ 
ture, was brought to the test; the critique appeared sta¬ 
tionary at 7, but soon got in motion, touching gracefully 
at 7 and 8, and settling at 9, with luminous brilliant 
sparks. 
Farm Houses, Gardens, &c _A more correct taste 
in the construction of farm houses and out buildings, 
and particularly in the department of gardens and yards, 
is now plainly to be seen; for though much cannot be 
expected of the farmer on these points, the smallest at¬ 
tention to them is proof that information and a spirit of 
improvement have reached him, and that be begins to 
think. A. of the North. 
STABLING HORSES. 
We make the following extract from a letter written 
by L. Durand of Derby, (Ct.) The first part of the 
communication, as it relates to a controversy carried on 
in the New-England agricultural journals, we omit. 
“ A few evenings since we were in conversation with 
an old veteran farmer and gardener of this place, to 
whom in a former article we have alluded, Leman 
Stone, Esq. He sa^S there is nothing so injurious to 
horses’ hoofs, as the urine and dung for the animal to stand 
in. And he told me the way he had practiced for seve¬ 
ral years. It was to rub the hoofs of his horses with 
liver oil, such as tanners use in preparing leather, once 
or twice a week; and this serves to keep them flexible 
and moist. Since he adopted this course he has never 
known his horses to suffer from the disease called “'Hoof 
Bound,” a disease known by the swelling of the top 
of the hoof, causing matter to gather under the hoof, 
a.nd producing lameness. Mr. Stone prefers plank, to 
earth floors, for the horse; and thinks they will stand 
with as much ease on a chestnut jdank floor, as on 
one of earth. Mr. Stone’s stables are as nearly per¬ 
fect, as any we ever saw, particularly for saving manure, 
and are on the same plan we noticed in the Cultivator. 
The floor is made tight with a descent of 2 or 3 inches, 
with a trough at the bottom of the floor, and everything 
the animal drops is saved. The straw for littering is cut 
to about an inch in length, and every morning the dung 
is hoed down into the trough, and together with the horse 
manure is mixed up with the urine, and thus nothing is 
lost. Mr. Stone keeps but one horse and two cows, and 
the cows are stabled every night, summer and winter, and 
I venture to say that he makes more manure than some 
careless farmers do, with three times that number of ani¬ 
mals. We are aware that every one will have a way of 
his own; but all must agree in one thing, and that is 
to have their stables made so as to save all the. ma¬ 
nure, and be comfortable for their animals. A neighbor 
of mine has been building a barn with a basement story 
the past season. Instead of laying a floor for the stables 
in this part, he has covered them with a layer of tan- 
bark, as an experiment. It will make a soft bed for his 
cattle to stand on, and in the spring it can be thrown out, 
and will make good manure.” 
NEW USE OF OIL CAKE. 
Mr. Cultivator— Taking up your September No., 
I cast my eye upon Mr. Johnson’s “ Remedy for the 
Turnep Fly,” which reminded me of experiments made 
by a neighbor and myself, which proved successful. He 
had heard the oil cake meal recommended as a good 
manure for turneps, beets, &c., and procured some of it, 
and sprinkled it upon some of his—not on all, at first, as 
he wished to see more clearly the effect of it, by leaving 
some without. That season, the flies and bugs which 
prey upon our garden vegetables were very numerous; 
but they left all those upon which he had scattered the 
meal, while all the rest were destroyed. He planted 
more, to repeat the experiment, powdering alternate 
rows, to make the result more conspicuous, with the 
same success. Hearing of this, I thought that perhaps it 
would prove equally obnoxious to other insects, and 
resolved to try it. My barn, hen house, and cow yard, 
were infested with fleas to an extent that I never knew 
before. I procured several bushels of oil cake meal, 
and dusted the sides and floor of my barn, hen house, 
and pig stye, and scattered it plentifully all over the 
cow yard. The enemy entirely disappeared, and I have 
not seen a single one of all the host on the premises 
since, although the last summer is the second since they 
were routed. 
Hearing the meal highly extolled, also, as feed for 
cattle, I have tried it, much to my satisfaction, on my 
cows, and a little on my hogs, though I cannot say much 
yet as to its effect upon them. For cows, I am con¬ 
vinced it is so good that I shall continue to use it, as I 
find it causes them to give not only more, but better 
milk than other feed, having made more butter since I 
have used it than before, in the same length of time. 
Rusticus, Junior. 
SALE OF SHEEP. 
Messrs. Editors —Having frequent applications for 
South Down and Cotswold sheep, and being called upon 
to answer many inquiries in respect to them, will you 
allow me through the columns of the Cultivator to say, I 
have disposed of my entire flock to Mr. J. McD. McIn¬ 
tyre of this city, who, in addition, has several of the 
Cotswolds imported by Messrs. Corning & Sotham in 1840, 
making altogether as select and perfect a flock, perhaps, 
as can be found in the country, and as it is his intention to 
stock his farm alone with these invaluable sheep, and to 
give his attention to them, I am very happy in being 
able to refer my correspondents on this subject to a gen¬ 
tlemen so eminently worthy their confidence and es¬ 
teem, and to assure them that the exchange will in no 
way militate against their interest or conveniene. But 
lest it should be supposed that in giving up sheep, I am 
giving up breeding altogether, pardon me for saying, it 
is rather that I may give my more undivided attention, 
and the product of the farm entirely, to the increasing 
numbers of my high-bred cattle, that I have been induced 
to dispose of my sheep. Truly yours, 
Albany, Dec. 20, 1841. E. P. Prentice. 
TREATMENT OF CALVES 
Editors of Cultivator— Will you, or will you per¬ 
mit me, to solicit from some dairy-man, an article upon 
the subject of calves, for insertion in the Cultivator, 
stating particularly the treatment of the calf from birth 
till disposed of to the butcher, or in the market, or reared 
for weaning? Also, the treatment of the cow in the mean¬ 
time. I do not recollect of seeing any communication 
upon the subject in your paper; and I doubt not an arti¬ 
cle at length upon the matter would be well received by 
your readers; at all events it would be by myself. Let 
the article be published in season, so that your readers 
may have the benefit of it the coming spring. 
Canaan, N. Y. Nov. 27, 1841. D. B. C. 
ELEVATION OF AGRICULTURE. 
Messrs. Editors —Being one of the old-school farm¬ 
ers, I am pleased to see the change that has taken place 
in public sentiment, within a few years, in regard to 
farmers and their useful occupation. We old-fashioned 
fellows, that were once considered in the light of hewers 
of wood and drawers of water, find ourselves all at once 
standing in the front rank, and making constant, acces¬ 
sions to our already numerous forces, not only from the 
learned professions, but merchants and retired gentle¬ 
men are all eager to share in the honor and the profits of 
the farmer. We salute them all as brethren, and con¬ 
gratulate them on the prospect of the substantial happiness 
that awaits them. Many of them bring to our ranks a 
great amount of science and intelligence, of which we 
are happy to avail ourselves; but we trust they will not 
let their fondness for the quill, or for theory, make 
them forget, that a large proportion of the farmers 
of the country are more or less in debt, and under the 
necessity of realizing an immediate and fair reward 
for their labor; and that every thing that is written upon 
the subject that is impracticable, and out of the reach of 
the moderate and debtor class of farmers, has a tendency 
to awaken anew their prejudices against what they con¬ 
sider book-farming. Hence the propriety of pursuing 
such a course, as will be likely to meet the views, and 
enlighten the minds of this numerous and meritorious 
class of men; for if improvement that will be lasting is 
desired, you must enlist in the cause the hard-handed 
Frock and Trousers go-ahead men, that drive their own 
teams, are out first in the morning and last at night, and 
generally wear a few nails in the heels of their boots. 
Frock and Trowserr. 
We thank F. and T. for his suggestions; and hope he 
will not “ stand back,” but furnish us at once his modes 
of making stone wall, seeding down land to grass, and 
reclaiming swamp lands. These are important prac¬ 
tical matters, and we hope our correspondent will remem¬ 
ber and practice his own rules, and instruct the thousands 
who read the Cultivator in the subjects alluded to. 
BERKSHIRE PIGS. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker—I have slaghtered my 
hogs (only four in number,) and as many think Berkshires 
are small hogs, I will give you the age, weight and man¬ 
ner of keeping them. 
1. Dolly, 3 years last spring, 15-16 Berkshire, 473 lbs. 
2. Spot, 2 “ “ 1-2 “ 467 
3. Pet, 1 year last spring, 31-32 “ 473 
4. Pedro, 1 “ “ 31-32 “ 494 
1838 
The two first had been kept for breeders, but had not 
bred this season; the two last were out of the first, by 
the boar which I purchased of Mr. Bement. 
These hogs ran in a clover pasture until harvest—then 
in stubble until the grain was consumed—and then in the 
orchard until the 11th day of October, when they were 
confined in the pen and fed with barley meal wet with 
water, and a little salt, and slightly fermented. While 
they were in the orchard they were fed with a small 
quantity of corn in the ear daily, not however, equal to 
one bushel of corn each, in the whole. They were 
killed on the 10th of December. 
Many farmers are prejudiced against Berkshires. The 
reasons of which I think are, first, they are a thick smooth 
looking pig, and are therefore called fat, when they have 
not had the feed which is necessary; and second, most 
farmers have bred their Berkshires down instead of breed¬ 
ing up. They have bred grade animals together, rather 
than incur the expense of obtaining full blood; and this 
course I am persuaded will cause any of the improved 
breeds of animals to deteriorate. 
I will soon furnish you with the report of the View¬ 
ing Committee on Farms for this county. E. Marks. 
BAKEWELL POTATOES. 
Messrs. Editors— I beg leave to offer a few words 
in relation to my favorite potato, a small sample of which 
I left at your office the other day. For the use of the 
table I consider them every way equal, if not superior to 
the Pink-eyes; their properties in this respect you will 
please put to the test. I can say nothing regarding their 
history, further than a two years acquaintance, during 
which time I have cultivated them, and find that with 
proper tillage they produce better than the Robans or 
any other kind that I am acquainted with. They should 
be planted early in the season, and like all other varie¬ 
ties, require a rich soil. For the sake of a name, and in 
view of their superior properties for baking, roasting, 
&c. I will venture to call them the Bakcuell. 
Marccllus, Nov. 22, 1841. Curtis Moses. 
PLOWING AT SYRACUSE. 
We copy the following from the letter of a “ Friend 
to Agriculture,” at La Fayette, Onondaga county, and 
think his suggestions worthy of consideration. 
“ As a farmer of the county of Onondaga, I attend¬ 
ed the Fair at Syracuse, and bad an opportunity of see¬ 
ing the plowing match; and much regretted the rules 
(or one of them) adopted for the government of that in¬ 
teresting part of such exhibitions. This was the time 
allowed for the work, which I think was too short for 
good work. I noticed one plow that broke its point, and 
to get done in the time the horses were put almost on the 
trot, which rendered the holder incapable of doing the 
work well. Giving so limited a time, induces the plow- 
mah to take the wide furrows, which you are aware does 
not pulverize the soil, nor when putting jn seed divide it 
sufficiently. Work that is worth doing at all, is worth 
doing well. When we see a piece of work of any kind 
well done, it is very natural to inquire who did it; but 
very seldom how long it took in doing. 
I would also suggest that at future Fairs, every plow¬ 
man set out his own land; the lands to plow being set 
out by stakes only, and not with a plow before hand, as 
as was the case at Syracuse; and also that he alone 
should drive and hold, which is evidently a saving of la¬ 
bor, an essential element of good husbandry.” 
LARGE SUGAR BEET. 
Messrs. Editors—I have this ykar raised a French 
Sugar Beet that weighed, with the top on, 24 pounds* 
after being trimmed closely, it weighed 19 pounds and 
1 ounce, and measured 31 inches in circumference. I 
have it now to exhibit, if disputed. If you are so dis¬ 
posed, you may give Vermont credit for this, to begin 
with, and we may hereafter tell you some large squash 
stories. Levi Lewis. 
Wells, Vt., Dec. 13, 1841. 
