60 THE CULTIVATOR. 
think it due to the people that their representatives 
should have an opportunity of judging of its merits, in 
order that their constituents may profit by their know¬ 
ledge.” 
SEEDING DOWN LANDS. 
“A. W. S.” of Hempstead Harbor, is informed that 
the method he has proposed of manuring, plowing and 
seeding lands to grass, without a crop of grain, has been 
practiced in some parts of New-England with great suc¬ 
cess, and is highly recommended by Mr. Buckminster 
of Boston, and other practical farmers. Where the soil 
is sufficiently rich and in good condition otherwise, we 
should turn over the turf, manure on the surface, and put 
on some spring grain with the grass seeds; but on light, 
or partially exhausted lands, simple re-seeding is to be 
preferred. 
There will be no difficulty in seeding the side hill to 
which our correspondent alludes; as grass seeds thrown 
upon such a soil will scarcely fail of vegetating. If the 
soil is veiy dry, the young plants will not make much 
headway the first season; but when once rooted, such 
places make very good pastures. 
Orchard grass seed may be obtained, we presume, at 
any of the city seed stores. The principal point in which 
it differs from the ordinary cultivated grasses, is the fa¬ 
cility with which it grows in the shade of trees; making 
a fine sweet pasture, or good hay, in orchards or other 
places where the commdn grasses will not flourish. 
RENOVATING OLD MEADOWS, &c. &c. 
L. Durand inquires “ whether old meadows, where 
the grass is bifund out by moss, cannot be restored by 
harrowing well in the spring, and sowing on plenty of 
grass seed before harrowing ? ” 
Such a process will succeed, and the result will be 
still better, so far as the moss is concerned, if a liberal 
dressing of ashes precedes the harrowing. Some good 
farmers, however, prefer turning the turf of such mea¬ 
dows over, and then either taking off a crop of some 
grain with which grass seeds are to be sown, or seeding 
down at once without cropping. If a crop is taken, 
compost manure should be harrowed in; otherwise a 
partial impoverishment of the soil will take place. 
We have never tried harrowing winter wheat or rye 
in the spring; but in the wheat districts of Western 
New-York it has been tried with success. Generally, 
soils that will admit of spring harrowing are those that 
do not require it, as hai*rowing is intended as a remedy 
for freezing out; and on dry, porous ones, grain rarely 
suffers from such a cause. 
For an apple nursery, the ground chosen should be 
deep, rich, and perfectly free from all stagnant water to 
as great a depth as the roots will usually penetrate. The 
seeds may be sown in rows four or six feet apart. In 
the latter case potatoes may be planted between them 
the first year. The ground must be kept clean, and the 
trees thinned out so as not to crowd each other. If the 
growth is a good one, they should be grafted the second 
or third year, as this is the only mode of securing the 
choicest fruits. 
In planting forest, or ornamental trees, we have been 
the most successful when we have clipped the natural 
crown of the tree quite close. The young shoots have 
been more vigorous, and a handsomer head to the tree 
has been the result. If, in transplanting, the roots with 
the earth attached could be removed, as recommended 
by Mr. Stuart in his Planters’ Guide, a removal of the 
top would be improper and unnecessary. If the top is 
left on transplanted trees, the wind operates on them 
with more force, and they should be guarded against it. 
Trees will do better when removed not to be placed 
deeper than they originally stood in the forest or nurse¬ 
ry; as deep planting, or a partial covering of the trunk, 
is very injurio us. _ 
NICKING HORSES. 
“Colonus” makes the following inquiries as to the 
mode of nicking horses: 
1. What season of the year is best for this purpose? 
2. What is the best method of operating? 
3. What should be the after treatment? 
While we enter our protest against nicking, pricking, 
or other mutilation of the tails of horses, as barbarous 
and unnecessary, we shall, as the practice demanded by 
pride will probably be continued, give a few plain di¬ 
rections as to the best manner of performing the opera- 
tion. 
The tail has three set of muscles; one elevating it, 
another depressing it, and a third set for the side mo¬ 
tions. The depressing muscles seem to act more con¬ 
stantly and powerfully than the erector muscles; and 
thus in some cases, the tail is constantly bent down close 
to the buttocks. It is to overcome this tendency, and 
give that elevated position to the tail supposed to indi¬ 
cate energy and spirit, that flicking is intended. Very 
hot, or very cold weather is unsuitable for nicking 
horses; as in the first case flies are. troublesome, and in 
the other severe cold operates injuriously to fresh 
wounds. Still, nicking may be performed at any time, 
suitable precautions being used. 
In operating, the best way is to cast the animal. The 
hair at the end of the tail is doubled and securely tied for 
the purpose of attaching a weight to it. The operator 
holds the tail firmly, ascertains the center of one of the 
bones from two to four inches from the root of the tail, 
according to the size of the animal. With a sharp 
knife, the muscles are divided deep from the edge of 
the tail on one side to the center, and the incision is 
continued across the tail making it as deep on the other 
side. This may all be accomplished by one steady, 
rapid stroke of the knife. For a blood horse, one inci¬ 
sion is considered sufficient; but where a cocktail is re¬ 
quired, three incisions or cutting the muscles are made, 
care as in the first case being taken that they are made 
midway between the joints of the tail. Considerable 
care is requisite to separate the muscles equally on each 
side of the tail; else it will be carried sideways. Pledg¬ 
ets of tow must now be introduced deeply into each 
wound, and confined, but not too tightly, by a bandage. 
Too tight bandaging frequently has a bad effect; swelling 
and inflammation, and sometimes death, ensuing. Twen¬ 
ty-four hours after the operation, the bandage must be 
wholly removed. 
To prevent the divided mucsles from again coming in 
contact and uniting, the wounds must be kept open; and 
this is accomplished by keeping the tail curved back for 
some two or three weeks. To do this, a cord is attached 
to the hair of the tail some two feet in length, and to 
this a double cord is fastened, each division going over 
a pulley at the back of the stall some few feet from each 
other. To these cords weights are attached, sufficient to 
keep the tail elevated, and the incisions open. Let it be 
remembered, however, that the elevation is given by 
the depth and number of the incisions, and not by the 
weights; and no more should be added than is necessary 
to keep the incisions open; more than this is tormenting 
the horse unnecessarily. The dock should not at first be 
brought much higher than the back; but it may gradual¬ 
ly be raised to an elevation or curve of 45 degrees. 
Taking out of the pulleys, and gentle exercise, should 
be practiced once or twice each day; but the pulleys 
cannot be dispensed with until 12 or 15 days after the 
incisions are healed, as the divided parts will have a 
disposition to contract, and render useless the operation 
for some time. If there is much inflammation, the tail 
must be washed and fomented with warm water; and to 
prevent the loss of the hair, it should be unplatted and 
combed every fourth or fifth day. 
SOWING CORN BROADCAST. 
A correspondent asks the quantity of corn that should 
be sown broadcast on an acre, where it is intended for 
soiling, and for winter provender. 
We have never sown any corn broadcast; but we 
think there is no way in which a greater amount of va¬ 
luable food could be obtained from an acre than this. 
At page 12 of the current volume of the Cultivator is the 
history of an experiment made by Mr. Ellsworth, of 
Washington, that was eminently successful. He sowed 
four and a half bushels to the acre, and he estimated the 
first crop to weigh over 100 tons when cut. The seeond 
crop the same season was but little inferior. It is evi¬ 
dent the weight of the crop would greatly depend on the 
kind of corn used, (the southern varieties producing 
much the greatest bulk,) the time of cutting, and more 
than all, on the richness of the soil. 
HEMP. 
J. King, Esq., of Dubuqne, Iowa, inquires as to the 
best soil for hemp; its preparation, the period of sowing, 
quantity of seed, &c. 
Hemp succeeds best in a rich vegetable soil; but any 
soil that will grow good wheat or corn will also grow 
hemp. Low lands occasionally flooded, swamps when 
thoroughly drained, as these contain large quantities of 
decomposed matter, produce fine hemp; but there is 
scarce any land that will not produce this crop when 
made sufficiently rich. 
Soil intended for hemp should be plowed so as to re¬ 
duce it to a fine tilth, free it from root weeds, and fit it 
for covering the seed. Old meadows are good for hemp; 
but the turf should be turned in the fall, well levelled, 
and the surface rendered fine by repeated harrowing's. 
Hemp is more liable to be injured by frost than flax; 
consequently, should be sown a little later—say from the 
first to the middle of May. 
The quantity of seed should be from two to three 
bushels, according to the richness of the soil, the average 
being two and a half; and the seed is sown broadcast. 
It is better that too much seed rather than too little 
should be given; as when well seeded, the stalk will be 
slender, and the hemp of better quality than if the stalk 
is large and coarse. The hemp is fit to cut when the 
male hemp begins to wither, and the seed of the other 
plants is formed, but has not become hard. If the land 
is rolled at the time of sowing it will assist the germina¬ 
tion of the seeds, and render the process of cutting or 
cradling more complete an d easy. 
BEET SUGAR. 
« J. C. C.” at Fairfield, la., inquires for some “infor- 
tion on the subject of the manufacture of beet sugar.” 
We are sorry to say, that after all that has been said 
or written on the subject of sugar from the beet in this 
country, we have not learned a single instance where 
the success of the method adopted was such as to justify 
hopes of rendering the manufacture profitable. To what 
cause this is owing, we are unable to say; whether to 
want of skill in the operations, or of saccharine matter 
in the beets; but we are inclined to attribute it to a defi¬ 
ciency in the latter. In one instance we have known a 
farmer carry a few bushels of beets to a cider mill, grind 
them, press out the liquor or juice, and boil it down at 
once. A very respectable sweet, partially grained, was 
the result; and this process, simple as it was, was the 
most successful we have yet heard. If any one of our 
friends are practically acquainted with any process, sim¬ 
ple and yet successful, we should be pleased to lay such 
a method of making beet sugar before our readers. 
MOOER’S PLOW. 
Our correspondent “ C. L. V.,” of Flushing, will find 
his inquiries relative to this plow answered by the ad¬ 
vertisement of the patentee in the last Cultivator. Its 
method of working, prices and its advantages over other 
plows, are there fully detailed. From the excellent 
work done by this plow, and its ease of draft, we are in¬ 
clined to think that the most celebrated plows of the 
country will find in the side hill plow of Mooers a for¬ 
midable rival. 
VERMIN ON POULTRY. 
“ A Subscriber,” who inquires “ whether there has 
been any successful remedy for the extirpation of ver¬ 
min on fowls,” is informed that in this case prevention 
is better than cure; that a plentiful supply of food, roosts 
free from filth, and a box of ashes and sand for them to 
dust or wallow in, will keep vermin from fowls. We 
know no method of cure, that is certain, where the fowl 
is infested as they sometimes are; though it is probable 
an effectual washing in some of the steeps so fatal to ver¬ 
min on other animals would succeed with these. It is 
said that the water in which potatoe skins have been 
boiled is an effectual cure for most kinds of vermin. 
FAT SHEEP. 
E. S. IIinman, Esq., (New-Haven, Vt.,) has furnished 
us with the weight of mutton and allow in a sheep killed 
by him last November. The sheep was a wether, bred 
from a three-fourths merino ewe, and a one-half blood 
Saxon buck. The ewe giving little milk, the lamb was 
raised by hand on cow’s milk; or was what is called a 
cosset. It run with the cattle, never had any other feed 
than grass or hay, and was 5 years old the last spring. 
The weight of tried tallow was 43 pounds; the weight 
of the quarters, with the kidneys in, 79f pounds. The 
sheep was not larger in bone than common wethers 
whose quarters will weigh50 pounds. Mr. H. says—“I 
do not know as this yield of tallow is anything extraor¬ 
dinary, but have met with nothing in this vicinity that 
has equalled it.” 
ARTIFICIAL WATERING PLACES. 
We have received from our correspondent, L. Du¬ 
rand, of Derby (Ct.) an account of experiments made 
by himself and his friend G. Smith, Esq., in the forma¬ 
tion of watering places on the plan recommended by 
Mr. Robertson, of Fishkill, in the July number of the 
Cultivator. The experiments were made in the extreme 
drouth of August, on a dry loam soil, and were both 
failures. We have never been able to see how water 
should be obtained in that way, except in soils that were 
strongly retentive; and we think that all efforts to obtain 
permanent supplies of water by Mr. Robertson’s method, 
in soils that are porous, sandy or gravelly, will be una¬ 
vailing. 
PERMANENCE OF BLOOD IN ANIMALS. 
There are few farmers who are unacquainted with 
proofs of the singular tenacity with which the peculiar 
characteristics of any kind of animal will cling to the 
race in spite of crossing or skillful breeding; frequently 
appearing after several generations, and sometimes when 
the origin of the peculiarity had been forgotten. This 
perpetuation of singularities in conlormation is not con¬ 
fined to brutes. There is a family in England in which 
for a great number of generations a tendency to disease 
(it can be called nothing else,) has existed, which in the 
individuals affected, covers them with a kind of scales. 
Sometimes In the branches of the family no one is af¬ 
fected for years, and the tendency seems to be lost; 
when suddenly it reappears, and several scaly individu¬ 
als follow in succession. We are acquainted with a very 
respectable family from one of the New-England states, 
in which the monstrosity of the fifth finger, with some 
intermissions has been continued through many genera¬ 
tions; disappearing in one branch of the family, appa¬ 
rently, only to appear in another. In a late number of 
the Maine Farmer is a statement respecting Mr. F. Win¬ 
gate’s stock, from which we gather the following curious 
particulars: 42 years ago Mr. W. moved into Hallowell, 
and brought with him a polled cow and bull. The bull 
was sold and driven away; but a bull calf was raised 
from the cow, which lived till he was two years old, 
when he was shot in the evening for a bear—being 
without horns and black. This was some 35 or 36 years 
since; and since that time no polled bull has been with 
his stock, and yet they have always had animals of the 
polled breed. Mr. Wingate has a cow that has raised 
two calves that had horns; last spring she brought a fine 
polled bull calf. “ In this instance, none of the polled 
breed as sires have been with Mr. Wingate’s stock for 
nearly 4Q years,” and yet the polled blood continues to 
show itself among the calves. Since it is thus difficult, 
if not impossible, to eradicate the constitutional charac¬ 
ters of animals, breeders cannot be too careful in their 
selections, and in their crosses, as good or bad points 
will show themselves sooner or later. 
