46 
without manure, 4 bushels; and the rows with bone dust, 
2} bushels each. In other cases, however, and particu¬ 
larly on root crops, bone manure was excellent. We 
are inclined to think the bad effect of the bone dust on 
Enquirer’s seed corn is to be attributed to the state of 
fermentation in the compost; the heat produced being 
so long continued as seriously to affect the germinating 
powers of the corn. We have known a precisely simi¬ 
lar result ensue from the use of hog and horse manure 
applied to corn in the hill, or the seed planted on it, 
while the manure was in a high state of fermentation. 
The slow germination of his corn, and its after appear¬ 
ance, would indicate unfavorable and unnatural chemical 
changes during the first process of vegetation. 
“ Enquirer"’ asks whether a covered or open drain 
would be preferable, when it would be dry one-half the 
year? Open drains we do not think advisable, only in 
those cases where so much water flows as to prevent the 
use of covered ones. Covered drains are the best in 
many respects. They are not in the way of farming 
operations; and they prevent that constant carrying off 
of the finer and more valuable parts of soils which is al¬ 
ways more or less done by open drains. 
As to the best methods of using ashes, we have found 
them valuable in all the ways we have tried them, but 
prefer using them on our meadows as a top dressing. If 
applied to crops, we think the best way is to make them 
into a compost with lime, gypsum, &c. In this way, 
they are valuable for any crop. Since attention has been 
drawn to the subject in Massachusetts, some of the most 
intelligent farmers and gardeners make one of the most 
efficient and active of manures, by mixing the muck 
from swamps in layers with barilla or soap boiler’s 
ashes, and when the fermentation has considerably pro¬ 
gressed, mixing the whole mass. In this way, the peat 
or muck is decomposed, its natural acidity corrected, 
and applied directly to crops, or to grass lands, is most 
valuable. 
THE ROHAN POTATOE. 
From the letter of a correspondent at Solebury, (Pa.) 
we make the following extract. Our experience in the 
culture of the Rohan corresponds with his own. 
“I see that some of your correspondents are crying 
down the Rohan potatoe, as not fit to eat, nor even fit to 
feed to stock. One cause of this prejudice against the 
Rohan is doubtless to be found in the fact, that during 
the high prices many potatoes were sold for Rohans 
that were not genuine, and probably some of them of 
very inferior qualities. Where such was the case, dis¬ 
appointments would ensue, and the cry of humbug natu¬ 
rally be raised. Now I never wish to persuade people 
into new measures of any kind, further than to give my 
own experience; and that with the Rohan is as follows: 
“ I got my seed from Judge Buel of his own raising, 
which I suppose must have been genuine; and I have 
planted them now four years, and also the Mercer, 
which has been the standard hereabouts and in the Phila¬ 
delphia markets for many years; and in all cases have 
the Rohans produced nearly double what the Mercers 
have done, when planted and treated alike. We are 
also eating of them every day, and though our family is 
large, we all think them equal if not superior to any 
other potatoe. I am also inclined to think they are as 
good for stock as any other potatoe, and of more value 
to the farmer; for if he can raise only 3 bn ’kA in the 
place of 2, which he may do in all cases where he plants 
Rohans and Mercers, the advantage in cultivating the 
Rohan must be decided. You must judge from this my 
experience in raising and eating Rohans, whether I am 
in my common senses or not.” 
PLASTER AND MANURE. 
The following extract is from “ Observations on Farm¬ 
ing,” a paper by G. Cook, Esq. of Tivoli, N. Y. 
“ I have been for some time past a close observer of 
the effects of plaster on our lands, and make bold to de¬ 
clare my opinion, that I think it a deleterious stimulant 
in the hands of the ignorant or grub-worm farmer. That 
plaster is not a direct manure it is presumed none will 
deny; but that by its inherent properties it excites and 
stimulates the plant to which it is applied to an increased 
appropriation of the fertilizing properties of the soil, 
producing temporarily, (unless in the mean time manure 
is applied,) an increased production. Accordingly we 
find that it produces the greatest effect upon new lands, 
or rather lands upon which it has not been before used. 
I have conversed with many farmers who have been in 
the practice of using it for some time past; and all seem 
agreed that without any other manure, it soon loses its 
magical effects upon their fields, and that they have 
found it necessary to resort to other means of keeping 
their lands in a proper state of fertility. 
If such be the case, and from my own observation I 
judge it to be a correct conclusion, I would advise my 
brother farmers to expend the money heretofore applied 
to the purchase of plaster, in additional labor to prepare 
their barn-yards to retain more perfectly the real enrich- 
er of their soils. 
But how often do we see those who would be very 
much offended to be called slovenly farmers, allowing 
their cattle, sheep, and swine to be upon the road, wast¬ 
ing their manure, making the road their barn-yard, or if 
they have one, suffering it to drain, where all the drain¬ 
age is lost to all beneficial farm purposes, and following 
that wasteful practice of feeding their stock upon the 
ground, while at the same time advocating both in theory 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
and in practice, the greater strength of well rotted ma¬ 
nure^ 
Who, that is a real friend to agriculture does not hope 
to see a better system succeed one so wasteful and ruin¬ 
ous; and when the misinformed or prejuced farmer shall 
better appreciate the great saving made by housing his 
manure, and applying it to his land before its strength is 
gone by evaporation or washing. Then indeed he will 
find no necessity for applying plaster to his plants, like 
ardent spirits to the body to give but temporary strength; 
but will be able to add yearly to his lands the only true 
and legitimate manure.” 
Remarks —We must be permitted to enter our protest 
against any speculations or inferences that shall go to di¬ 
minish the use of plaster by our farmers. The “ grub¬ 
worm’’ or the “skin flint” farmer, the one who takes 
from his land all he can get, and returns nothing to it, 
will doubtless find his land exhausted, and the sooner the 
the better, if that shall open his eyes to the folly of such 
a course of farming. But the skillful husbandman, the 
one who farms his fields in rotation, who enriches all his 
fields and exhausts none, finds in plaster one of the most 
efficient and money-saving aids in his course. Besides it 
will not be so readily conceded, that plaster is nothing 
more than a stimulant, that it is no manure, even in the 
restricted sense of the term. The fact that plaster is 
found to a considerable amount in those plants on the 
growth of which it exerts the greatest influence, clover 
for example, would militate against such a supposition. 
That it is mainly active in contributing one of the most 
important elements of plants, nitrogen, has been proved 
by Liebig ; and as much the largest portion of the carbon 
of plants is derived from the atmosphere, any substance 
that enables the plant to appropriate this the most readi¬ 
ly, must be of service. But experience in such matters 
is entitled to great weight. We have long lived in the 
centre of the New-York plaster country. We should 
not err perhaps in saying that there is more plaster used 
in the counties of Onondaga and Cayuga, than in any 
other two counties in the state. Many of us have used 
it anually for more than thirty years; and never have we 
heard a farmer who deserved the name of one, assert that 
his soil was impoverished by its use. On the contrary 
there are thousands who have grown rich by the rota¬ 
tion of crops which the use of plaster and clover enabled 
them to pursue, and whose farms at the present moment 
are in better condition, and as productive as they were 
when the use of plaster commenced some thirty years 
since. There are exhausting farmers in all countries; 
men who will ruin their farms, whether they have plas¬ 
ter or not. We advise no one to rely on plaster alone. 
Depend upon it the barn-yard and barn-yard manures can¬ 
not be too carefully looked to, and here the opinions of 
our correspondent have our hearty approval. But we 
say, combine the two; use both plaster and manures; 
feed your fields well and they will feed you. 
RAISING CALVES. 
A correspondeut at Hanover (N. H.) writes:— 
“Though no dairyman, I have a fact for your corres¬ 
pondent D. C. B., Canaan, N. Y., in relation to calves. 
About the first of March last my cow had a fine large 
heifer calf, three-eighths Durham; white and red, and 
very handsome, and together with the fact that the mo¬ 
ther (of common stock,) was a very superior milker, 
determined me to raise her progeny. The udder was 
some inflamed and caked, but was reduced by greasing 
and thorough milking. The afterbirth did not, however, 
come away in the usual time, and an experienced mana¬ 
ger attached a brick to the protruding part about a foot 
from the root of the tail, which by its gravity accom¬ 
plished the object in a day or two most completely and 
without violence. The calf took the teat readily, and 
had a full supply of milk. In April the cow died, as 
supposed from some obstruction in the gall duct; at the 
time giving 12 quarts of milk daily; feed, hay and roots. 
f What shall we do with the calf ? ’ was the question now 
asked; for calves, though they will suck the finger rea¬ 
dily, will not always learn to drink. An ingenious 
young Illinois farmer who was with me took a junk bot¬ 
tle, filled it with warm milk and a little Indian meal, 
and put it to her mouth. She seized it and exhausted it 
at an effort. For 5 or 6 weeks, the food was 3 quarts of 
milk and half a pint of meal morning and evening, and 
the whole from the bottle. During the day a small 
quantity of fine hay was within its reach, which was 
constantly nibbled, and never have I known a calf in bet¬ 
ter heart, or thrive faster than this. I hope if any of 
your readers should meet with a similar misfortune, they 
will make an attempt to bring up the calf { on the bot¬ 
tle,’ as they will find it perfectly easy. H.” 
RUTA BAGA. 
A respected correspondent in Peru, makes the follow¬ 
ing remarks on the culture and preservation of ruta baga. 
“ Some of my neighbors object to raising this root, on 
the ground of the expense and trouble. I presume they 
do not consider that in the first place the seed compared 
with that of potatoes is a mere trifle; that the sowing of 
an acre is but a morning walk, provided they are sup¬ 
plied with a drill barrow, which every one should have; 
and that when sown in drills, a great share of the work 
can be performed with a small plow. The harvesting 
can be accomplished in one-third of the time required 
for potatoes; if you are not provided with a regular tur- 
nep hook, a common hoe will answer if made sharp. 
The easiest way of keeping them through the winter, is 
to level a piece of ground in a dry place, build them up 
in the form of a house roof, covering them with a light 
coat of straw, and six or eight inches of earth; not more. 
I have kept them in this way a number of winters, and 
always found them veiy nice in the spring. Be sure not 
to put on too much earth, since if kept too warm they 
will decay. I know this from experience. W. K.” 
A hole made by a crowbar, or stake, through the top 
of turnep heaps, and kept open, will allow the heated 
air to escape, and prevent the decay spoken of by W. K. 
CULTURE OF BUCKWHEAT. 
Messrs. Editors —I wish to know on what kind of 
soils buckwheat will grow the best? And whether it is 
not a great exhauster of the soil? and whether it can be 
profitably turned under as a green crop? It being ob¬ 
jected to by some, that the acid which it contains tends 
to render the soil unproductive. L. Durand. 
Soils rather light than otherwise are the best for buck¬ 
wheat. On heavy clay soils it rarely succeeds. From 
30 to 40 bushels an acre are not an uncommon crop on 
soils adapted to its culture, and properly prepared. 
Buckwheat is not a greater exhauster of the soil than 
other plants which yield the same amount of straw and 
grain when removed from the field. A few years since 
we saw a heavy crop of buckwheat on a piece of land 
from which the owner assured us he had for thirteen 
years in succession taken a similar crop. This was in 
one of the southwestern counties of the state; the soil a 
light yellow loam. Buckwheat is extensively used in 
Germany and some other parts of Europe as a crop for a 
green dressing, and is highly prized. In England, tur- 
neps fed on the ground are preferred, as in that way food 
for animals and the dressing of the soil is at once effect¬ 
ed. It is very probable that on a soil divested of alka¬ 
lies, too liberal dressing of any green plant might prove 
hurtful at first; but such instances must be very rare, 
and a small quantity of ashes or lime strewed over the 
field would prevent the possibility of such a result. 
LARGE BERKSHIRE PIG, &c. 
Mr. Bowen of Eastford (Ct.) has furnished us an ac¬ 
count of a pig fattened in that place by Mr. Taylor, 
which, when killed, at 8 months and 22 days old, 
weighed 349 pounds. Mr. Taylor purchased the pig at 
six weeks old, fed it through the summer on skim milk 
and boiled potatoes, and through the fall with potatoes 
and corn meal; the latter ground in the ear. Mr. Tay¬ 
lor’s manner of feeding was always to give it something 
whenever it got up from its bed; and he besides gave it 
a frequent washing with soap suds. We fully agree wit-h 
Mr. B. in his estimate of the superior value of the Berk- 
shires. 
We entirely mistake the character of the New-Eng- 
land farmer, if he does not rise superior to the present 
pressure, (trying to him as present prices for agricultu¬ 
ral products must be,) and that too without the aid of 
any law, bankrupt, or otherwise. Western products 
may in some slight degree interfere with those of the 
East, yet we must remember that we are but parts of one 
great whole, and that prosperity cannot attend one part 
without exercising a corresponding influence on the 
others. 
ILLUSTRATION OF TRANSMUTATION. 
Our correspondent at Solebury, (Pa.) also gives the fol¬ 
lowing illustration of the transmutation of plants: “An old 
and respectable farmer prepared a piece of ground, and 
planted it with pumpkin seed which he knew to be genu¬ 
ine; and behold! they all came up beans, and produced 
a good crop, as numbers of his neighbors could witness. 
Now for the explanation. The old man had married a 
second wife some years younger than himself, and who 
had a mind of her own, as well as her husband. For 
some reason, she preferred beans to pumpkins; and 
when the latter made their appearance, she pulled them 
up and put out beans in their places; a trick of which 
the old man never dreamed, but to his dying day con¬ 
sidered the fact as an unanswerable arg-ument in favor 
of transmutation.” 
PAGE’S PORTABLE SAWMILL. 
Several correspondents in different parts of the country, 
have requested some information respecting Mr. Page’s 
newly invented Portable Sawmill, its performance, cost, 
&c. We hope some of our friends in Baltimore, will 
give the information desired. By the way, we would 
suggest to the makers and advertisers of agricultural im¬ 
plements, or others, that they accompany them with the 
price or priqes, where there is more than one. It would 
be well to state where the implements are to be found. 
Such a course would greatly facilitate sales, and save 
those desirous to purchase much trouble in making the 
necessary inquiries. 
LIVE FENCES—PRIVET. 
We are unable to inform H. Long, Esq., of Long 
Green, Til., whether the Privet ( Pyracantha ) of which he 
speaks so favorably, has ever been tried in this country 
for the purpose of hedging to any extent, or where the 
seeds of the plant could be procured. If any of our 
friends are able to inform Mr. L. where such plants or 
seeds can be procured, they might confer a favor by 
making it known through the Cultivator. 
