66 
THE CULTIVATOR 
were then sowed and manured by the following sub¬ 
stances in the quantities mentioned: 
No. 1. No manure. 
2. Salt, half a peck. 
3. Lime, 1 bushel. 
4. Soot, 1 peck. 
5. Wood ashes, 2 pecks. 
6. Saw dust, 3 bushels. 
No. 7. Malt dust, 2 pecks. 
8. Peat, 3 bushels. 
9. Decayed leaves, 3 bush¬ 
els. 
10. Fresh dung, 3 bushels. 
11. Chandler’s graves, 9 lbs. 
With the exception of chandler’s graves, salt was de¬ 
cidedly the best of those used. On a trial of com¬ 
pounds, the combination of salt and soot was the best. 
The substances were mixed in the following order, and 
the same quantity of each employed as when used singly: 
No. 1. Salt and lime. 
2. Salt, lime and sulphu¬ 
ric acid. 
3. Salt, lime and peat. 
4. Salt, lime and dung. 
d. Salt, lime, gypsum and 
peat. 
6. Salt and soot. 
7. Sait and wood ashes. 
No. 8. Salt and saw dust. 
9. Salt and malt dust. 
10. Salt and peat. 
11. Salt, peat and bone dust. 
12 . Salt and decayed leaves. 
13. Salt and pearl ashes. 
14. Salt and chandler’s 
graves. 
Perhaps this superiority may be accounted for by the 
quality of saline substances to attract moisture from the 
air; for those beds where salt had been used were visi¬ 
bly and palpably moister than the rest, even for weeks 
after the salt had been applied; and the appearance con¬ 
tinued until rain fell, when of course the distinction 
ceased. In several instances the crop of the land failed 
altogether, except on the part where the salt was ap¬ 
plied.” 
In Hindostan and China, all the land on the coast is 
regularly treated with sea water; and they depend solely 
on this management for the increase and goodness of 
their rice crops. In Poland, salt is extensively used in 
the tillage of the land. 
Many valuable communications on the use of salt as a 
manure have been made to the British board of agricul¬ 
ture. I may be allowed to mention two further experi¬ 
ments made on this subject. 
To show the effects and advantages of salt properly 
applied to vegetables, the gardener of Lord R. Man¬ 
ners made the following experiment in an extreme dry 
summer upon a bare piece of pasture land, out of which 
the cattle had been taken for want of grass. He marked 
off four places, each of which was watered for nine suc¬ 
cessive nights in the following manner: the first with 
one gallon of spring water; the second with one gallon 
of the same water, containing one ounce of common 
salt; the third with the same quantity of water and two 
ounces of salt; and the fourth with the same quantity 
of water and three ounces of salt, which gave the fol¬ 
lowing effects: 
The grass in the second place grew more abundant 
and of a darker green than in the first; in the third 
place it grew only by spots; for part of it was killed 
where the greatest quantity of water fell; and the 
fourth was quite killed, for a greater compass than the 
third; by which it appears that an ounce of salt in a 
gallon of water had a better effect than the water alone; 
and that three ounces of salt mixed in a gallon of wa¬ 
ter ivas more than the grass could immediately receive; 
but the fourth place, in the ensuing spring, was the most 
fertile of them all. 
The other experiment I shall notice is related by Dr. 
Holland, well known by his agricultural survey of 
Cheshire: 
“ After draining a piece of sour, rushy ground about 
the middle of October, he ordered some refuse salt to be 
spread upon a part of the land at the rate of eight bush¬ 
els to the acre, and in another part sixteen bushels. In 
a short time vegetation disappeared totally; and during 
the month of April following, not a blade of grass was 
to be seen. In the latter end of the month of May a 
most flourishing crop of rich grass made its appearance 
on that part where the eight bushels had been laid. In 
the month of July the other portion produced a still 
stronger crop. The cattle'were remarkably fond of it; 
and during the whole of the ensuing winter, (which is 
ten or twelve years since,) and to this day, the land re¬ 
tained and yet exhibits a superior verdure to the neigh¬ 
boring closes.” 
Schaghticoke, Feb. 8, 1842. John C. Mather. 
COUNTRY DWELLINGS. 
Messrs. Editors—I lately received a letter from 
Henry W. Taylor, of Marshall, Michigan, in which 
he says: 
‘‘Having been in a somewhat unsettled state for some 
time past, I had neglected to take the three last volumes 
of the Cultivator, which I procured lately to make my 
set complete. Should I build here, as I have now some 
intention of doing, I should consider your hints as to 
building, on the 59th page of volume 6, as of value to 
me far greater than the whole cost. 
“I have been gratified with many of your other com¬ 
munications. There is a great deficiency in the design 
and adaptation of country dwellings in all our country. 
The same expense which is now incurred, if combined 
with architectural skill and good taste, would add doubly 
to the comfort of the great body of the people. I am 
glad to see that the Cultivator is becoming more and 
more interested in this great appliance to human com¬ 
fort and happiness. In a country like this of Michigan, 
especially where all is new and fresh, and the taste and 
design of the present will probably govern for many 
years, not to say generations to come, it is greatly to be 
desired that a correct and sound judgment should pre¬ 
vail. It would be acceptable, I think generally, if the 
conductors of the Cultivator would devote a portion of 
that paper every month to this great neglected subject; 
and when not furnished with original matter and draw¬ 
ings, to select from the best English and American au¬ 
thors, such as Loudon, Robertson, Downing and others. 
Perhaps a hint from you might bring about such a change.” 
Schenectady, Feb. 26, 1842. D. Tomlinson. 
We find most of the plans of farm buildings given in 
foreign works, unsuitable for our country. They are 
not only too expensive, but their arrangements are not 
such as are needed by our farmers. Unfortunately, very 
little attention has as yet been given to this subject by 
our own architects, and we know of no source from 
which to obtain such plans of farmeries as are adapted to 
the wants of American farmers—those, we mean, who 
wish neat and tasteful dwellings, varying in cost from 
$1000 to $3000; and we shall be glad to receive designs 
for such buildings, together with barns and the other out 
buildings necessary to complete an establishment suita¬ 
ble for farms of one to two or three hundred acres. 
The plans should be accompanied with the necessary 
specifications and estimates of cost _Eds. 
IMPROVED BOARD FENCE—(Fig. 38.) 
Mr. Cultivator —Annexed hereto, I hand you a 
rough sketch of an improved mode of making board 
fence; and as it is on a plan entirely new, and perhaps 
not known to many, if indeed to a single individual, 
among your numerous army of readers, I take the liberty 
to send you a description of it, in the hope and belief 
that it may prove interesting if not instructive to them. 
The boards are 14 feet long, ami of such width as is 
generally used in constructing the common board fence. 
The posts are not set into the ground, but upon the 
ground, or rather upon a flat stone placed for the foot 
of the post to rest upon. The posts are made of oak 
plank two inches in thickness, and twenty inches in 
width, and four feet six inches long; these planks are 
split with a saw diagonally, commencing at one end two 
inches from one edge, and running out at the other end 
two inches from the opposite edge; thus making two 
posts, each eighteen inches wide at the bottom, two 
inches wide at the top, and two inches thick. These 
posts are now placed edgewise to the fence, and the 
boards are nailed to that edge, which forms a right 
angle with the bottom end; one post upon one side, the 
next upon the other side, and so on; the ends of the 
boards are joined to each other upon alternate posts, or 
by breaking joints, which adds to the strength of the 
structure. If a temporary fence is wanted, however, or 
one which is intended at any time to be removed or 
changed, then each length of 14 feet may be constructed 
complete in itself and independent of the rest, as repre¬ 
sented by fig. 38, a. They may then be removed with 
very little trouble from place to place. 
This fence occupies but little more ground than the 
common post and board fence, and is far superior to it in 
point of durability. Every one of your readers is aware 
how liable the latter is to be swayed out of shape by the 
action of wind and frost, and that but few years are 
required to decay that part of the posts under ground 
sufficient to let the fence down; while the posts of the 
improved fence, not being in contact with the earth, will 
last as long as any part of the fence. A strip of board 
five inches in width is nailed upon the top flatwise, 
which covers the whole and protects the upper ends of 
the posts from the weather; and if a good coat of paint 
is then added, it will stand a good chance to outlast the 
builder. 
In the hope that your readers will be able to compre¬ 
hend the plan from the above sketch and description, it 
is respectfully submitted to their notice and considera¬ 
tion. 
a, represents a side view of one length of 14 feet, b, 
an end view, showing the shape of the posts. 
Castile, Wyoming co., N. Y. 1842. J. Horsfield. 
THE AYRSHIRE CATTLE. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —I find by your No¬ 
vember number of the Cultivator, that A. B. Allen, Esq., 
of Buffalo, has returned from old England, and informs 
the readers of the Cultivator that they can make the 
Ayrshires here, by the thousand, by crossing Durham 
bulls on our best native milkers. Sir John Sinclair, Mr. 
Alton, the duke of Montrose, and many other superior 
judges, esteem the Ayrshires as the very best dairy 
stock; yet they are of doubtful origin, and the most 
discriminating breeders do not agree as to their true ori¬ 
gin. Some go so far back as 1740, to the herd of the 
earl of Marchmont; some ascribe to the Dutch cows im¬ 
ported by Mr. Dunlop, much to establish the present 
race of Ayrshires; while others think the Teeswater 
breed have done much towards producing the now ex¬ 
isting, and much celebrated breed of Ayrshires. But 
why should we longer doubt their origin, when A. B. 
Allen, Esq., of Buffalo, has informed us how we can pro¬ 
duce them by the thousand ? If Mr. A. had ever peram¬ 
bulated the shires of Ayr, Lanark, Renfrew, or Ster¬ 
ling ; or had he rambled among the farmers of old Monk- 
land, Barony, Both well, or Cawdor; or had he spent but 
one afternoon, wandering along the banks of the Clyde, 
he would have seen many of the poor man’s cows, as the 
Ayrshires are often called, and would never have hazard¬ 
ed the assertion that we can breed them by the thou¬ 
sand, and in the way proposed by him. 
Is Mr. Allen well informed, as to the success of Col. 
Jaques, of the Ten Hills Farm, near Boston, in breeding 
Ayrshires in the very way proposed by him ? The Col. 
has succeeded in getting up a stock he calls the Cream- 
pot breed. They are as much like the Ayrshires as a 
wild boar of the island of Mocha is like the improved 
Berkshire boar, Windsor Castle. (I have not seen 
Windsor Castle, but well know the old Berkshire mark, 
and I like the buff or sandy flecking.) 
I will not apply to Mr. A. B. Allen the language that 
Festus did to St. Paul; but I will say, I fear a little ex¬ 
perience as a breeder, and a little trip to England, has 
had a bad effect upon him. 
In a few words, I will say to Mr. A. B. Allen, that he 
may as well attempt to engraft the black currant bush 
into the nose of the living sturgeon, and have it to pro¬ 
duce fruit in all parts of the Hudson river, as to produce 
the pure Ayrshires in the way proposed by him. 
I would not deter any one from crossing the best Dur¬ 
ham bulls on our best native milkers. I would encou¬ 
rage it, and should expect an improvement. 
It is much to be desired, that all persons writing for 
agricultural journals should give to the readers of those 
journals facts, and nothing but facts, on all subjects on 
which they write, and have no guess work. 
New-Bcdford, Feb. 5, 1842. Geo. Randall. 
VAN HOSEN’S PRESS FOR HAY, &c.—(Fig. 39.) 
Messrs. Editors —The above cut is an illustration of 
the patent lever railway press, lately invented by Wm. 
C. Van Hosen, of Catskill, Greene county, state of New- 
York. The frame and box of this press are like those 
now in use. It will be seen by the cut, that the lower 
pannel is left out to show the follower or moveable bot¬ 
tom of the box with the end of the lever attached there¬ 
to. At the lower ends of the levers will be seen friction 
rollers, with a flange on each side to keep it on the track 
of the railway. Attached to the lower end of the levers 
are ropes or chains which are drawn in by the roller or 
shaft of the armed wheel. Upon the rim of this wheel 
is placed a rope, to which a horse may be attached, or 
carried to a capstan which is preferable; it will be seen 
by drawing in the lower ends of the levers, the follower 
is elevated, carrying up with it the article to be pressed; 
and when the greatest power is required, it is given 
without any additional draft of the horse. The por¬ 
tion of this press giving the power being made of wood 
is not so likely to break or get out of order as those made 
of cast iron. The travel for a horse in running up a 
bale, if attached to the rope on the arm wheel of 5 feet 
diameter, is 100 feet. If attached to a capstan, it is in¬ 
creased according to size of capstan and length of lever. 
While in a screw press, the travel is one mile and a half 
in running the screw up and down. 
This press excels all others now in use for pressing 
hay, cotton, wool, rags, &c. &c., and will be warranted, 
to perform well and do double the work that a screw 
press can with the same number of hands, with less than 
half the draft. A small boy can attend the horse, and 
the running back of the follower with perfect ease. The 
time required in running up the follower is about one 
minute. Six bales have been pressed to the hour with 
ease. Bales weighing over 300 pounds have been press¬ 
ed by one man. 
The construction of this power is such that it does not 
require a building expressly for it, as it may be placed 
in any barn or shed, and the horse may move in any di¬ 
rection or at any distance from it; and when the bale is 
ready for delivery, it is discharged instantly, and the fol¬ 
lower gradually recedes as the hay is placed in the box. 
The construction of this power is so simple that any 
man can make one or keep it in order. For a small ex¬ 
pense it can be applied wffiere the screw is now in use, 
and save much barn room and horse flesh. 
There are several of this new style of press now in 
