m 
THE CULTIVATOR 
30 
CoTOsponfoiixe, .Inquiries, &c. 
INQUIRY—RINGING THE NOSES OF CATTLE. 
“Messrs. Editors—I should be pleased to receive 
some instruction, through the Cultivator, as to the proper 
age for placing a ring in the nose of a calf, and the best 
manner of performing the operation. 
( ., Cccilton, Maryland. T. M. Foreman.” 
The ring may be placed in the nose of a calf at al¬ 
most any period after it is weaned, and the muscles of 
the nose become sufficiently firm to sustain the iron; but 
perhaps any time between the ages of one and two would 
be better than earlier. If delayed later, the greater 
strength of the animal renders the operation more diffi¬ 
cult, but it may be performed at any age. The use of 
the ring is to secure and render manageable the animal, 
and a bull should always have a ring in his nose, parti¬ 
cularly if inclined to be vicious. 
There are several modes of making these rings, which 
should always be of the best iron, that there may be no 
danger of breaking, and which should be as light as is 
consistent with safety. The easiest method is to take a 
large wire or round iron of the proper size, form it into 
a ring of about two inches in diameter, the ends so 
squared and adjusted as to fit, close and even, and then 
separated, to pass through the septum or division of the 
animal’s nose; after which, by placing a sledge or other 
heavy iron on one side, with a smart blow of a hammer 
on the other, the ring is closed and finished. Another 
ring is made with a joint, formed by halving and rivet¬ 
ing, and after the ring is passed through the nose, it is 
again riveted and secured. Another ring is made by 
slightly turning out the ends of the ring, and adjusting 
the two parts, through which a hole is made by drilling 
or punching. After it has been passed through the ani¬ 
mal’s nose, a rivet or screw is inserted through this hole 
in the projecting part, and the operation is done. 
VERMIN ON PLANTS. 
H. S. Peck of Newtown, Ct., inquires “ whether 
there is any thing that will effectually eradicate vermin 
on plants ?” We answer we know of nothing which 
will effect this. Plants are infested by so many and 
such different kinds of insects, that the extirpation of all 
would be a hopeless task. Besides, substances powerful 
enough to affect or destroy some of them, would also be 
destructive to the plant on which they are found. Per¬ 
haps there is no class of insects or “vermin” more nu¬ 
merous or more destructive than the Aphis or plant 
louse. There is scarcely a tree or plant on which they 
do not appear in the course of the season, and sometimes 
in most formidable numbers. All the young and tender 
shoots of fruit trees, the cultivated plants of the garden, 
and the crops growing in the field, are liable to their 
attacks. Air, good cultivation, and healthy, vigorous 
plants, are the best safeguards against vermin on plants. 
When they appear, if a little extra attention is paid to 
destroying them at first, much trouble for the future is 
saved, for there is no creature that increases its numbers 
more rapidly than the plant louse. They may be suffo¬ 
cated by the vapor of sulphur or tobacco; may be de¬ 
stroyed by throwing upon them ley, soap suds, or a de¬ 
coction of tobacco, with a syringe or a watering pot. 
Some experiments made last year with suds made from 
whale or tanner’s oil soap, seemed to prove that this 
would be one of the most effectual preventives known in 
preventing the attacks of insects on plants. It is said to 
be an effectual remedy for that destructive insect, the 
rose bug. __ 
NEW MANURES. 
- — 
Our correspondent, “ Rusticus, Jr.,” has enclosed us 
a copy of the paper that for some months has been going 
the rounds of the papers, as translated from the French 
journal, the Phalange, on an “Important Discovery in 
Agriculture,” or a method of producing vegetation, or 
growing crops without tillage or reference to the earths 
* proper; and also a copy of Mr. Bommer’s prospectus for 
W his “New Method of Making Vegetable Manures by 
Fermentation,” for which he has taken out a patent, and 
requests our opinion on their merits. 
As to the first, the facts stated in it, that are of value, 
and applicable to the purposes of agriculture, are not 
new, but have of late been made more familiar by the 
more extensive .application of chemistry to agriculture. 
It is now well known that the earths, silica, alumina, 
lime, &c. contribute very little to the growth of plants, 
and that these derive their subsistence from other sources. 
The earths appear, however, necessary as a depot of nu¬ 
tritive matter, and a reservoir of moisture, which, in 
some form, is essential to plants; and as these must have 
something for their roots to penetrate to ensure support, 
tillage, by rendering the earth permeable, secures this 
object, and also enables the earth more readily and abun¬ 
dantly to absorb from the air those gaseous matters 
which all admit are useful to vegetation. That a plant 
of wheat should grow and come to maturity on a plate 
of glass or on a rock, so large that the roots could 'find 
no earth to penetrate, and only covered with one inch 
of straw, is incredible, and we think contrary to the ex¬ 
perience of thousands of farmers. The wheat placed 
on glass, and covered, would doubtless germinate, and 
if the roots spread over the edge of the pane, and took 
hold of or penetrated the earth, it would come to matu¬ 
rity, but not otherwise. We think farmers who discon¬ 
tinue plowing, or sow seeds on rocks or glass, where 
only an inch or even less of earth is to be had, will be 
likely to be placed at harvest in the predicament of the 
man spoken of in the scripture, who sowed seed on 
stony ground, where there was not much depth of 
earth. 
As to Mr. Bommer’s patent method, we cannot speak 
decidedly, knowing nothing more of it than is stated in 
his Prospectus. If he is able to convert refuse vegetable 
matters, such as he has stated, into good manure in fif¬ 
teen days, or, as we understand him, effectually decom¬ 
pose them in that time, he has made an important disco¬ 
very, provided at the same time the fermentation neces¬ 
sary to complete the process does not cause the escape 
of some of the most valuable of the substances, or salts 
of the matters used, and its consequent loss. It is not 
many years since an invention for the preparation of 
manures, by which vegetable matters,which take months 
or even years to decompose, could be speedily converted 
into mold, was announced at Paris, and created quite a 
sensation in the agricultural world. Extensive experi¬ 
ments were entered into, both in France and England, 
to test its utility, the results of which were unfavorable 
to its use, both as respected economy and value. The 
violent fermentation necessary to the speedy decomposi¬ 
tion of masses of matter such as Mr. B. has specified, is 
very apt to deteriorate the manure so formed; but if Mr. 
B. is able to avoid this result, and convert straw, corn 
stalks, or common earth, into rich manure in the time 
specified, and at a reasonable expense, he will be con¬ 
sidered a public benefactor. Experience in this case, 
as well as most others, will give the true response. 
POUDRETTE—INQUIRY. 
Our correspondent, “ A. W. S.,” at Hempstead, L. I., 
who inquires respecting the use of poudrette as a ma¬ 
nure for potatoes, the quantity used, and the cost of the 
manure at New-York, is informed that although we have 
never used poudrette on that crop, yet there can be no 
doubt, from the testimony of those who have, that it 
will be found most efficient and valuable for that as well 
as other roots. The quantity recommended and used is 
about a gill or rather less per each hill, sometimes put 
into the hill alone at the time of planting, and some¬ 
times mixed with an equal quantity of good mold, and 
two gills put upon the seed at planting. From half a 
gill to a gill is used for corn. One bushel of it is con¬ 
sidered equal in effect to thirty bushels of street or horse 
manure, when applied thus directly to the hill; but 
when sown broad-cast for wheat, more is required. 
From fifteen to thirty bushels is generally sown; it is 
said “fifteen will produce very satisfactory results— 
more than thirty-five is useless.” The present price of 
poudrette we do not know. Last season, the price 
varied from thirty to forty cents per bushel, according to 
the supply, mode of packing, &c. 
Our correspondent’s crop of four hundred bushels of 
“ fine Mercers” from an acre, would be considered a 
good crop any where, and there are few varieties of po¬ 
tatoes better deserving of cultivation for the table than 
this. 
If the soil on which o.ur correspondent proposes to 
plant trees is “ so hard as to cut with a pick-axe,” we 
know of no tree which will flourish in such a situation. 
When it is desirable to plant trees on such soils, the 
holes should be dug very broad, and at the time of plant¬ 
ing filled in with good surface earth or mold. If the 
soil contains so much clay as to be retentive of water, 
drains filled in with stone must be made to allow the 
surplus water to pass off. When so prepared, any tree 
our correspondent chooses will succeed, always remem¬ 
bering that such as are most common to such localities 
or soils, or have been acclimated, will succeed best. 
With us, the elm would push itself forward the most 
rapidly in such soils; and some of the varieties of the 
oak will thrive in a very dense soil, if it is suitable in 
other respects. 
We shall be pleased to receive the portrait of his 
cow, “ Eliza,” of which our correspondent speaks. 
STYPTIC—INQUIRY. 
The following is from the pen of a respected cor¬ 
respondent at Flint Rock, N. C. If any of our readers 
are acquainted with such a styptic as he has alluded to 
and will forward the remedy to us, we will give it a 
place with pleasure. White vitriol we have found the 
most effectual in checking the flow of blood from a 
wound, of any thing we have seen used. The great 
object is to coagulate the blood as quickly and deeply as 
possible, and a preparation of vitriol is very efficient in 
this respect. The common meadow puff-ball, dried, 
then opened and bound on a wound, will frequently 
check the flow of blood. When, however, there is rea¬ 
son to apprehend that an artery is cut or wounded, it 
must be either taken up or compressed immediately, or 
fatal consequences may ensue. Compression may be ef¬ 
fected by any one, until a physician can be procured. 
“Having wounded myself sometime since, so as to 
bleed till I fainted, I take occasion to inquire for an 
effectual remedy to stop bleeding, particularly in case an 
artery is wounded, which I have reason to believe was 
the case with myself. It is very necessary that an effec¬ 
tual remedy, which is easily to be procured, should be 
generally known, especially among farmers, as it is often 
the case they have a great distance to go for the doctor, 
(which is the case here,) and when he did arrive, it 
might be too late for him to be of any service.” 
FEEDING SHEEP AT STACKS. 
A “ Subscriber” at Poughkeepsie, who says “he 
knows from experience that sheep waste less hay when 
they run to a stack than when fed in any other way,” 
and who wishes to make some experiments in the way 
of feeding recommended by Mr. Titus, at page 164 of 
the last vol. of the Cultivator, requests us to inquire 
whether the rails in that plan, upon which the stack 
rests, lie on the ground, or on the bottom rails of the 
fence enclosing the stack; and if laid on the ground, 
whether there is not danger, as the sheep eat out the 
bottom, of the stack falling upon them and catching 
them under it, or what will be the effect of the grass seed 
and dust on the wool. 
If Mr. Titus, or any other gentleman who has tried 
this or other methods of stack feeding, will reply to our 
correspondent, they will confer on him, and us, a favor. 
We may add, however, that Mr. Titus evidently intend¬ 
ed to have the rails on which the stack is to be built, 
lie flat on the ground, the only object in having such 
rails being to keep the hay from the ground. We have 
for several years been in the habit of stacking our 
straw in such a manner that, as it is eat out at the bot¬ 
tom, it gradually settles—a mode of feeding far more 
economical and useful than any other we have seen 
tried; yet we have never experienced any loss of sheep 
or young cattle from their being caught under the mass 
while settling. A little attention will prevent such a 
result. 
WOBURN PIGS IN TENNESSEE. 
We make the following extracts from a letter received 
from Wm. C. Hazen, Esq., Pleasant Home, near Cov¬ 
ington, Tennessee: 
“ There is a considerable move in this delightful re¬ 
gion of country in the improvement of stock. In this 
county, we have a few of the Short Horn Durhams, the 
Berkshires, Irish Graziers, and Essex half black hogs. 
I have recently received a pair of South Down sheep 
from Mr. Bement of Albany, and also a few of the full 
blood Woburns from Dr. Martin of Colbyville, Ky. I 
have also the Berkshire and Essex half black; and al¬ 
though they are fine animals, I think they cannot com¬ 
pare with the Woburns. I weighed a Woburn sow pig 
at three months and three weeks old, and she weighed 
116 lbs. At the time of weighing, and for several days 
before, she had been unwell with a disease unknown to 
me, a listless, sleepy disposition, refused food, and was 
broken out in many places on the skin with red spots of 
the size of a ten cent piece, and hard around that to the 
size of a dollar. I gave a large dose of castor oil, let 
her drink slippery elm water, and washed the pores on 
the inside of her fore legs with warm soap water. She 
gradually recovered, is now six months old, the finest 
formed pig I ever saw; head unusually small, heavy 
sides, and the best hams, without exception, I ever be¬ 
held, and will weigh 250 lbs. From what I have seen, 
I think I shall prefer the Woburn to all other pigs, as 
hogs that will make the most meat, at the least expense. 
I will write you next spring how my lambs look from 
my South Downs. 
The hint contained in the annexed extract, we hope 
will attract the notice of many of our present subscri¬ 
bers: “I am so thoroughly convinced that your paper 
has done good, and will continue to do so, that I shall 
with pleasure use my efforts to procure additional sub¬ 
scribers. I would like to see such papers more exten¬ 
sively circulated throughout our country; and as only 
the readers of these papers are fully sensible of the be¬ 
nefit produced, suppose each subscriber to the Cultivator 
procures an additional one for 1842. It may easily be 
done, and I here pledge myself to do so; and if all will, 
your subscription list for 1842 will be doubled, and what 
a vast deal of pleasure and profit would be added to the 
country.” 
Our correspondent will probably be able to obtain 
Blacklock’s Treatise on Sheep at any of the principal 
cities of the west. It will be found a valuable work to 
every sheep grower. 
RAPE SEED—INQUIRY. 
“Messrs. Editors —Will you please inform me, in 
your next paper, whether any Rape seed has been intro¬ 
duced in the eastern States ? The oil from that seed is 
extensively used in the cloth manufactories of England, 
and I believe that seed is yielding more oil than any 
other vegetable matter. It is extensively cultivated 
along the banks of the rivers Elbe and Weser, in Ger- 
many. Rape seed, in German, is Ruhsaamen; in Dutch, 
Raapzaut. John Eschenburg. 
ColliersvUle, Madison Co., III.” 
We have never known the cultivation of Rape at¬ 
tempted in this country. Considerable quantities of it 
are imported, we believe, for various uses. It is possi¬ 
ble it might be a valuable agricultural product. 
The inquiries of A. C. S., (Shusham, N. Y.,) respect¬ 
ing Urate, will be found answered in our replies to other 
inquirers in our last No. Those respecting Silk, are 
answered in another part of this paper by Mr. Smith of 
Baltimore; and those respecting Tomatoes shall receive 
attention hereafter. 
We have on hand several other inquiries, which 
shnll receive as early attention as possible. 
