A CONSOLIDATION OF DUEL'S CULTIVATOR AND THE GENESEE FARMER. 
Cult. Yol. IX.—No. 3. ALBANY, N. Y. MARCH, 1842. Cult. & Far. Vol. III.—-No. 3. 
PUBLISHED MONTHLY. 
GAYLORD & TUCKER, EDITORS. 
LUTHER TUCKER, PROPRIETOR. 
One Dollar per annum—Six Copies for $5. 
(PAYABLE ALWAYS IN ADVANCE.) 
20 per cent commission on 25 or more subscribers, and 
25 per cent commission on 100 or more. 
Subscriptions to commence with a volume ; and the money 
to be sent free of postage. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
“TO IMPItOVE THE SOIL AND THE MIND.” 
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS, &c. 
_ We have received, during the last month, besides those puv- 
lished in this paper, communications from the following:— 
John Wiers, J. Harland, J. Judson, Willets Keese, John Kirk, 
Colonus, J. Lawrence, A., J. N. Smith, Levi Durand, J. C. 
Smith, C. A. Savory, J. Horsfield, A. Subscriber of Chester coun¬ 
ty, S. H., A Young Farmer, L. A. Morrell, L. Numan, George 
Randall, A. W. L., M. of Jamaica, J. J. Thomas, Alexander 
Becket, P., L. Smith, J. Edmands, H. Knowlton, P. Easly, Sco- 
tus, A. Brigham. 
To enable us to dispose of the large number of communica¬ 
tions now on hand, we propose to devote most of our next 
number to the contributions of our friends. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 
We are indebted to Geo. C. Thorburn, Esq. for The British 
Farmer’s Magazine for October, and for a copy of The Far¬ 
mer’s Almanac, (London,) for 1842, for which Mr. T. will 
please accept our thanks. 
To G. Y. Sacket, Esq. Seneca Falls, for the Proceedings of the 
Seneca Co. Ag. Society for 1841, embracing the Constitution, 
By-Laws, the Addresses of Messrs. Sackett and Dunlap, Ac. 
To H. L. Ellsworth, Esq. Com. Patent office, for his Annual 
Report to Congress. 
To A. J. Downing, Egq. for Catalogues of his Botanic Garden 
andN arseries , Newfjurgh. 
To Wm. R. Prince, Esq. for Catalogues of the Linnccan Bo¬ 
tanic Garden and Nurseries , Flushing. 
To James Grant, Esq. Iowa, for a copy of his Report as Chair¬ 
man of the Committtee on Agriculture, in the House of Rep¬ 
resentatives of that territory, in which he recommends the 
passage of a law for the promotion of Agriculture, similar to 
he law of this state. 
To Dr. A. Brigham, Superintendent, for the 17th Annual Report 
of the Directors of the Retreat for the Insane at Hartford, 
Connecticut. 
To R. Alexander, Esq. Hall Farm, Sherbrooke, L. C., for late 
copies of the Edinburgh Observer and Edinburgh Advertiser. 
SILK—NEW PUBLICATION. 
We are gratified to learn that G. B. Smith, Esq., of 
Baltimore, is preparing for publication a new work on 
the production of silk in the United States. It will em¬ 
brace all the information necessary for a thorough know¬ 
ledge of the business, from the selection and culture of 
the mulberry to the preparation of the silk for market. 
A plain practical work of this kind is very much wanted 
by the multitude of farmers throughout our country who 
are entering upon the silk culture as an auxiliary branch 
of their domestic economy, as well as by those who are 
engaging in it largely as a separate and independent bu¬ 
siness. From Mr. Smith’s long experience in the busi¬ 
ness, and the opportunities he possesses for obtaining in¬ 
formation on the subject, both at home and abroad, he is 
eminently qualified for the preparation of such a manual 
as will meet the wants of the public; and we trust that 
in its publication he will reap a rich reward for his long- 
continued and persevering efforts to introduce the silk 
culture into the United States, which must ere long be¬ 
come one of the most valuable of our products. 
The American Magazine and Repository of 
Useful Literature —We have the first and second 
numbers of the second volume of this work, which is 
published in this city, 33 pages octavo, monthly, at $1.50 
a year, by B. Wood. It is edited by Dr. J. S. & B. 
Wood, and numbers among its contributors some of our 
best writers. 
Boon’s Lick Farmer —We have received No. 3 of 
this paper, which is published monthly at Boonsville 
Missouri, at $1 a year, by C. W. Todd, and edited by five 
gentlemen, located in different parts of that state. 
Hon. James M. Garnett, of Virginia, President of 
the Agricultural Society of the United States, has accept¬ 
ed an invitation to deliver the annual Address before the 
New Castle (Del.) Agricultural Society, at their next 
Fair. 
WORK FOR THE MONTH. 
Order, system, is of as much importance to the farmer 
as to other individuals, and a well arranged plan of ope¬ 
rations is essential to continued success. “ A place for 
every thing, and every thing in its place ,” is a first truth in 
a farmer’s metaphysics; a truth that proves itself, and 
of which the simple enunciation is sufficient. The 
farmer then should have his farm divided according to 
system; his crops should follow each other in regular 
order; the influence of these governing principles should 
be felt in every department of his business; it should be 
seen in the feeding and management of his animals, in 
his fences and gates, and in his houses and barns. The 
farmer should have his book containing an accurate map 
and measurement of his farm, and each field, and in this 
every alteration should be made and recorded. There 
are thousands who live and farm at hap-hazard; and so 
there are merchants and manufacturers who conduct their 
business in the same way, and usually with the same re¬ 
sults : that is with the loss of time, labor and capital. 
“Order is heaven’s first law,” and he who transgresses, 
whatever may be his employment, must take the conse¬ 
quences. 
Liebig’s beautiful explanation of the manner in which 
plaster performs its effects in promoting the growth of 
plants, has given an increased impulse to the use of this 
invaluable article, and we hope every farmer will try 
some of it on his clover, grain, corn, potatoes, &c., this 
year. On sandy soils, its value will be more apparent 
than on any others, and though little used on the potatoe 
crop, we have heard of instances where it has been 
nearly or quite doubled by its application. There is no 
manure of this class, which will at all times, and on ail 
soils, produce the expected effects, and occasional fail¬ 
ures will never deter the experienced farmer from their 
further use. On suitable soils, plaster is the most effica¬ 
cious as well as cheapest manure that can be used. 
March is the month for making that most delicious of 
sweets, maple sugar; and the farmer who, with the 
means in his possession of providing himself with this 
necessary article, neglects to do it, and depends on Cuba 
or Louisiana, so far surrenders his independence. Maple 
trees will yield from four to six pounds of sugar per tree, 
when well tended, and in medium seasons. The labor 
required conies at a time when little else can profitably 
be done; takes but a few days; and the result is a mate¬ 
rial contribution to the profits of the farm, and the com¬ 
fort of the family. The utmost degree of neatness and 
cleanliness should be observed in every thing relating to 
the sugar manufacture; no burning on of the syrup, or 
souring of the sap allowed; and this system carried out 
will give a pure beautiful sugar. 
It is well for a farmer to be looking ahead, and secur¬ 
ing such seeds as he is intending to plant or sow the com¬ 
ing season. He who has noticed the difference in the 
crop between plants produced from good ripe, perfect 
seed, and those from inferior, unripe, or perhaps injured 
seed, will understand the propriety of attention to this 
point. It is not too much to say, that thousands of acres 
of corn fail, almost annually, from using bad seed. Bet¬ 
ter to pay double price for good seeds, than use poor 
ones, if they could be had for nothing. To attempt 
economy in this way, would be to invite certain failure. 
It is the custom to sow clover and grass seeds on win¬ 
ter sown grain in March, and if there is a little snow it 
can be done much better and more evenly than without. 
Never attempt to scatter such light seeds in a windy day; 
and if you value good crops, clean fields, and peace of 
mind hereafter, be careful to sow nothing but pure seed 
in your field. Weeds will come in rapidly enough with¬ 
out our sowing them; and the man who sells Canada 
thistle, Charlock, Steinkrout, Johnswort, &e. with his 
seeds, needs instructing anew in the golden rule. 
March is a trying month for domestic animals, if treated 
during our long winters as too many of them are. There 
is a degree of cruelty in thus half-starving- so many crea¬ 
tures, that deserves the severest reprehension; and even a 
regard to profit should induce a different course. Just com¬ 
pare^ the profits of a cow well kept through the winter, 
coming out sleek and smooth in the spring, with one re¬ 
duced to a skeleton, barely making- a live of it, and requir¬ 
ing good phsture till July, to get her in order again. So 
with sheep, swine, and horses. No man has a right, nor 
should he attempt to keep more animals than he can keep 
well, and the proportioning of his stock to his keeping 
is one of the things that distinguish the good farmer 
from the poor one. 
Fences must be looked to this month, as animals are 
apt, unless cared for, to be strolling about the fields, and 
will do much mischief on newly seeded grass lands, and 
nearly destroy such wheatfields as they can obtain access 
to. Drains should be examined, sluices cleared, stagnant 
water let off) and the sown crops examined, to prevent 
injury from such sources. In all places where frequent 
passing and repassing is to be done, substitute gates for 
bars, and you will have access to your fields greatly facil¬ 
itated. 
Trees may be transplanted this month, and if every 
farmer would see the roads to the extent of his farm were 
planted with trees, it would require but a few years to 
change the whole aspect of our country for the better. 
The maple, elm, ash, and in suitable soils the locust 
might be profitably used, and if these were not to be had, 
fruit trees, such as the pear, cherry, or apple, might be 
substituted. In transplanting make your holes large, but 
not deep, give the roots space to spread, use rich soil in 
filling up, and do not cover much higher than the earth 
naturally was around the tree. If the top is heavy, it 
should be secured against winds. There are multitudes 
of families in New England that make all the sugar they 
need, from maple trees planted within forty years; and 
such plantations are annually increasing. It has been as¬ 
certained at the south, that the attacks of some of the in¬ 
sects so fatal to fruit trees, particularly the peach, may 
be prevented by planting a small red cedar in the same 
hole with the fruit tree; the odor of the cedar being of¬ 
fensive to them. Wormwood has also been tried in the 
same way, and it is probable any strong scented plant 
would produce a similar result. 
Have you made all the necessary preparations for the 
coming season? Ar« your agricultural implements in 
good order, your plows, hoes, sythes, rakes, harnesses, 
carts, &c. ready for use? Farmers find it most unpleasant, 
when a piece of work is to be done, to be obliged to go 
to a neighbor for the necessary implement, and it is not un- 
frequently the case that the time spent in borrowing and 
returning a tool, would purchase a new one, or if applied 
in season, repaired the old one. Don’t rely too much on 
borrowing; the practice is a bad one. Be neighborly, 
but if you exhibit your good will in some other method 
than a dependance on your neighbor for the means of 
carrying on your farm work, you will probably be quite 
as much respected. 
If you have neglected cutting cions, it maybe attended 
to now; but later than March is inadmissible, unless the 
grafting is performed as early as possible in the spring, 
and before the buds start. It is truly surprising that the 
production of fine fruit occupies so little of the attention 
of farmers. Most of them have orchards, but in a large 
proportion of them the fruit is good for nothing; even 
hogs will reject a large portion of it. Apples it is found 
have become the cheapest article extant for making pork, 
as if the hogs are allowed, they will keep themselves, 
and apples are one of the very few kinds of food that is 
not materially improved by cooking before feeding. 
At this time your ewes will require daily some cuttur- 
neps or potatoes with a little salt. It will also be an 
excellent plan to allow them once a day, a few oats in 
the sheaf, instead of their hay; and all your sheep will 
be the better for such a course. Roots fed daily will 
prevent in most cases that costiveness which in sheep fed 
on dry hay alone, is apt to produce the stretches. If you 
have not oats a handful of corn daily to each sheep, will 
prove valuable. Many of the things we have noticed 
may appear trifling; but it should never be forgotten by 
the farmer, that the most of his profits arises from trifles, 
or such as appear such in themselves; and it will be 
found on examination that those who have obtained a 
competence by agriculture, are precisely those who have 
paid the strictest attention to these things. 
When your wood is split and seasoned, let it be packed 
dry, in your wood-house, and if you manage well you 
will have a year’s supply on hand, that the burning of 
green wood may be avoided. Dont believe the story 
that green wood is the best, or most profitable; or if you 
think best, make an experiment with a given quantity of 
green and dry wood, and see which will keep the tem¬ 
perature of your room highest for the longest period. 
This is easily done, and will be decisive. 
Si lliman’s Journal. —Our friend at Jamesville, who 
inquires the price and postage of this journal, is inform¬ 
ed that by sending $6 free of postage to Prof. B. Silli- 
man, New-Haven, Ct. it will be sent him one year, and 
the postage on the numbers be paid by the publishers. 
Hatch’s Sowing Machine —In answer to the in¬ 
quiries of J. Tilghman, Esq., we would state that the 
price of this machine, a figure and description of which 
was given in our last volume, page 197, is $40. 
Manufacturers of Sub Soil Plows and Hay Presses 
may find a sale for their articles by advertising- them in 
the Cultivator. 
