THE CULTIVATOR. 95 
Indian corn cannot be grown to any extent in Great Bri¬ 
tain ; and this should have induced him to examine more 
authentic sources, when speaking of one of the most im¬ 
portant bread plants on the globe. If there is one plant 
more than another that requires a rich warm dry soil, it is 
corn, and it will flourish in no other. There is another 
error or misprint as to the great number of ears. Few 
plants give a greater number of grains, but many pro¬ 
duce more ears: 
“ This valuable plant produces a much larger number 
of ears, which abound with a greater proportion of whole¬ 
some mealy matter, than any European grain; and as In¬ 
dian corn prospers in low, swampy situations, where it 
tends to dry up the superfluous moisture, and to render 
the ground firm, it might perhaps be advantageously cul¬ 
tivated in some of the southern counties of Britain.” 
FARMER’S CLUB AT BUTTERNUTS. 
We have received the following note from our corres¬ 
pondent, F. Rotch, Esq. of Butternuts, Otsego co. “You 
will be gratified to learn that our young men have formed 
themselves into a c Farmer’s Club,’ for the purpose of 
debating the principles and practices in Agriculture; and 
I am surprised how much latent thought and talent is 
brought out in this way, and with what readiness its 
members are willing to join in the debate. It is our 
young men who are to carry on the work of improve¬ 
ment, and give to agriculture her proper rank. I now 
want to hear of the establishment of a public lecturer. It 
cannot be but that such an one would be profitably em¬ 
ployed in the service of any well established periodical. 
I only want the advantages of reading, of education, and 
of science, clearly exhibited to the farmer, as all-impor¬ 
tant to the advancement of himself and his farming ope¬ 
rations : and then give me an agricultural school, and I 
should be content that with such an impetus the ball must 
roll on.” 
We are indeed gratified to hear of the formation of 
such an association as the Butternuts “ Farming Club,” 
and trust that it will be exemplar and parent of many oth¬ 
ers. Experience has proved that familiar conversation 
and debate, has been one of the most effectual means of 
extending agricultural knowledge, and some of those 
clubs that commenced a few years since in England with 
beginnings less auspicious than the one under notice, have 
now become most influential associations, diffusing intel¬ 
ligence and the proper agricultural spirit among the 
farmers of large sections of country. Such, we cannot 
doubt, will be the result of similar spirited and well con¬ 
ducted Clubs here. We wish our young friends every 
success in their undertaking. 
ASHES ON COTTON—CUTTING OFF SPAVIN. 
We make the following extract from a letter received 
from S. W. Cole, Esq. of Wadesboro, North Carolina. 
“ This Co. (Anson,) is a fine farming section, and is 
the only county in the state well adapted to the raising of 
cotton. Here we raise a large quantity for this section 
of the union, and our planters are devoting more care to 
the improvement of their plantations. The best manure 
we have for cotton is ashes. My mode of putting it on 
is this: I run a scutter furrow, then from a basket or box 
scatter about 35 bushels per acre in the furrow thus open¬ 
ed, and then with a dagon make the cotton ridge. I tried 
ashes and cotton seed as a manure last year, in the same 
field, and used the same quantity of each. The ashes 
made far the best cotton; it took an early start, looked 
green and fresh, whilst that planted on the ground ma¬ 
nured with cotton seed, looked yellow a long time, and 
never recovered the check it received at first coming up. 
Did you ever know the spavin cut off from a horse? 
If not, I can inform you that a few years since one of my 
carriage horses was badly spavined, so much so as to be 
almost useless. I had him thrown, then cut the skin im¬ 
mediately over the spavined bone in the shape of a /\ 
then peeled it down until the bone was exposed. I then 
took a chisel and with a blow or two from a mallet I 
soon cut off the bone. The horse soon recovered; it has 
now been four years since, and not the least return of the 
disease.” 
The inquiries of our correspondent, have been answer¬ 
ed in a private letter as requested. 
AGRICULTURE IN GEORGIA. 
We make the following extracts from a letter of our 
correspondent T. Forster, of Walker co. Georgia. 
“We have here a fine country, rich land, good water, 
excellent climate, convenient markets, and handsome 
profits in farming. I have been in your state, the yankee 
states, the middle, western and southern states, and have 
found no section of the country presenting more advan¬ 
tages than this. We are getting a dense population. Un¬ 
til recently the spirit of agriculture had scarcely reached 
us. I proposed to several of my neighbors to take agri¬ 
cultural papers, and five copies of the Cultivator, with 
some other papers, were taken. The change produced is 
very perceptible, and the spirit of inquiry and improve¬ 
ment is awakened. To me, I have no doubt the Culti¬ 
vator has been worth one hundred dollars the past year. 
I left the practice of medicine a few years since, and 
turned farmer. I confess I knew but little about the bu¬ 
siness and made but slow progress, when I commenced 
taking the Cultivator, and am now succeeding to my sat¬ 
isfaction. * * * Last year I took two co¬ 
pies; one for myself, and one I kept on a recruiting tour; 
the plan proved an excellent one; has been of service to 
many who could not take a paper, and has added several 
to your list of subscribers. * * * We are 
in great want of all sorts of farming tools, and threshers, 
straw cutters, and corn crackers, &c. Are those of which 
figures are given in the Cultivator, patented? [Yes, most 
generally.] If not, such descriptions of the best of them 
as would enable a mechanic to make them, would be of 
great benefit to us. If some good mechanic would come 
to this country and make all such things, and keep a tool 
warehouse, I think he might make a fortune.” 
CANADA THISTLE. 
Mr. Mills of Elbridge, Onondaga co., sends us the 
following directions for the destruction of that pest of the 
farmer, the thistle. Although too late for adoption this 
year, we hope it will not be forgotten another, but receive 
a full and fair trial. 
“ Take any piece of stubble land, pea or oats stubble is 
preferable, as it has less sward. I then if needful manure 
it well, and plow it carefully on the 20th of April. About 
the 15th of May, I drag it thoroughly. On the 25th of 
May, I cross plow, and in the middle of June I again drag 
it, being careful to harrow crosswise of the furrow. On 
the 28th or thereabouts, I plow and sow one bushel of 
buckwheat to the acre. At this season, buckwheat will 
vegetate very rapidly, and in two weeks will completely 
cover the ground. The thistle, by former plowings be¬ 
ing checked, the buckwheat will in ordinary seasons tho¬ 
roughly subdue them. I have tried various methods of 
destroying the thistle, and I find this the best.” 
SUMMER FALLOWS AND PLOWS. 
Summer fallowing is a most important part of the farm¬ 
er’s work, and it is one which should never be attempt¬ 
ed, unless it can be fully done. Where the soil is deep, 
permeable, rich, and in particular free from all weeds, 
summer fallowing may be dispensed with, as a single 
deep plowing with a careful inversion of the surface, fol¬ 
lowed by the harrow, roller, &c. will fit the earth for the 
reception of the seed. But such farms are few, and on 
all others, summer fallowing can alone be relied on for 
the proper tillage of the soil. If the soil is properly con¬ 
stituted, there is not the least danger of over tillage; and 
in summer fallowing the true rule seems to be to plow 
till there is not a root, plant, or seed left in the ground 
to vegetate or interfere with the crop. Treated in this 
way the soil is thoroughly cleanetl, its particles are divi¬ 
ded and exposed to atmospheric influences, and the de¬ 
composition of the animal matters is facilitated. In this 
country, we as yet know little of what would be called 
summer fallowing in England or Belgium; although it is 
probable an improved agriculture, will render such ex¬ 
amples less uncommon among us. June is not too early 
for breaking up lands, and from this first operation, the 
plow should be used so as to prevent vegetation of any 
kind on the fallow. 
Let our farmers this year in breaking up their fallows, 
try some of the new plows, constructed on scientific prin¬ 
ciples and offered for their use. The difference in ease 
of labor and neatness of execution, between Ruggles, 
Nourse & Mason’s Worcester, or Mooer’s side hill 
plow, and those in general use, cannot be appreciated by 
the farmer until they are tried. We have one of the first 
kind, received from the makers last fall, and this spring 
have not only given it a fair trial ourselves, but given our 
neighbors the privilege; and it is pronounced one of the 
very best implements in ease of draft, and perfection of 
work,ever used on our farms; and we think those who want 
a first rate plow, will hardly do better than to purchase 
one of the Ruggles, Nourse & Mason implements. The 
difference in draft between these or the Mooer’s plow, 
and the common ones, is equal to one-third, a relief to a 
team which will be sensibly felt. 
* BOARD FENCES. 
Our correspondent, Myron Adams, informs us that the 
improved board fence noticed by Mr. Horsfield in our 
April number, may be found described in the 4th volume 
of the Genesee Farmer; that some ten or twelve years 
since, his brother conceived the plan of this improved 
fence, and “ having a saw mill and plenty of lumber, the 
improved board fence went up rapidly.” “ Its general 
appearance was pleasing - , not to say handsome.” But 
Mr. Adams adds—“ Alas for all human inventions ! There 
came a wind one day, such as doth oft blow over the 
land, sweeping away the fairy castles of many fanciful 
builders. Then if Mr. Horsfield had been present, and 
seen what a wreck of upturned, matter lay before him, he 
would not have hazarded the. expression c that it stood a 
good chance to outlive the builder.’ But my brother is 
a man of energy, and not to be baffled by one overthrow. 
A general turn out was called— every man to his post, and 
the fence stood erect again. Then a strip of oak scant¬ 
ling was driven into the ground, and nailed to the outer 
edge of each post; but all would not do; fix it any way 
you would, the wind had the longest end of the lever, 
and go over it must. But its being easily overthrown was 
not its only fault. It had also the power of locomotion, 
and was constantly changing places; and as a live fence, 
its constant tendency was to create broils by its encroach¬ 
ments. It at length became a vexation beyond endu¬ 
rance, and not a vestige of it now remains. My advice to 
your correspondent, or any reader who may be disposed 
to try an experiment with this improved fence, is: that 
they select a valley so deep that old Boreas with his 
blasts can never enter, where no ill bred porker shall 
ever be permitted to rub his lazy sides, and then if built 
as your correspondent recommends, and well painted, and 
the builder thereof is dying with ennui, it may indeed 
outlive the builder.” 
DESTRUCTION OF WEEDS. 
There are few things more essential to the farmer 
than having a good wheat crop. He gets a better price 
for his grain, and what is quite as much, he has no fears 
from injury in using such pure wheat for seed. Weed¬ 
ing wheat therefore is not to be neglected. In a wheat 
field, every thing that is not wheat is a weed, and should 
be pulled out at once. Remember that a rank, thrifty 
weed, chess, cockle, steinkrout, &c. draws sufficient nu¬ 
triment from the crop to sustain a handful of good ears 
of wheat, and which belong to them. Thorough sum¬ 
mer fallowing is the best eradicator of weeds, but if any 
escape and spring up, they should be carefully gathered 
and destroyed, before the seed ripens. 
Let no weed ripen its seed on your farm, if it can be 
prevented. The thistle, johnswort, and similar pests, 
are left so long in many cases before they are cut, that 
they mature their seeds, and these do as much mischief 
as if allowed to stand and ripen, while the labor of cut¬ 
ting them is nearly lost. The best way to treat them, is 
to rake and burn them as soon as dry. This destroys 
their power of mischief effectually. It is very bad poli¬ 
cy to put weeds, whether cut with your hay or grain, into 
your barn, as the manure of the yard will be filled with 
seeds, ready to spring - up whenever and wherever it is 
applied to the soil. There are thousands of farms in this 
country, the productive value of which, both in grain and 
grass, is lessened full twenty-five per cent in consequence 
of the vile weeds with which they are infested. Sowing 
spring grains, such as spring wheat, barley, or oats, has 
had a bad effect in extending the growth of weeds, and 
in many places the system must give way to summer fal¬ 
lowing, or cropping will be impossible. 
PRESERVATION OF GRAIN. 
A correspondent of the Farmer’s Cabinet, says, that “ in 
a late visit to a branch of the Cooper family in New Jer¬ 
sey, he observed that the grain of different descriptions 
was stowed away in large strong iron bound casks, and 
in these the wheat, &c. was preserved for any period, no 
matter how long, without fear of weevil, grain worm, 
vermin, damp or moldiness. The grain is introduced 
by a funnel through the bung hole, and when full, the 
cask is carefully closed, and made air tight, and kept in 
that state by occasionally driving the hoops. The casks 
are laid on sleepers so high that a bushel measure can be 
placed under them, when it is necessary to draw the 
grain.” 
It is evident this plan would only answer where the 
grain was thoroughly dried, as if damp when deposited, 
entire moldiness, or even decomposition would ensue. 
In those parts of France, where grain is kept in vaults 
prepared in the earth, or in the limestone rocks, the grain 
is fully dried, then the vaults are filled, and afterwards 
hermetically closed. The suggestion that this method 
of packing in good casks, where grain is to be transport¬ 
ed by sea, and afterwards used for seed, would be pre¬ 
ferable to packing in bags, we think just, provided the 
grain was in a fit state at the time of deposit in the casks, 
and was aired as soon as possible after its arrival at its 
destination. Every farmer is aware that but a slightde- 
gree of heating is fatal to the germinating - qualities of 
grain, and must be sedulously guarded against, when 
grain for seed is to be transported to any distance, in a 
confined or damp situation. Many of the specimens of 
wheat imported into this country from Europe, have 
either wholly or partially failed from want of attention 
to this matter. 
COCOONS WANTED. 
The following may interest some of our subscribers, 
particularly those who have cocoons to dispose of, or who 
are interested in improved silk machinery: 
“Gentlemen —You would confer a favor on a sub¬ 
scriber, by informing me where could be got a supply 
of good peanut cocoons, at reasonable prices. Those 
would be preferred in which the worm has been destroyed 
by the fumes of charcoal or steam, as baking is an injury 
to the silk. I have a brother well acquainted with the 
management of silk, and preparing it for all kinds of 
manufacturing - purposes. He is getting up the best kind 
of machinery, and is ready to purchase a quantity of co¬ 
coons, and would like to make arrangements with one or 
more silk growers for a supply. y 0 u shall soon hear 
from me in relation to the machinery about to be adopt¬ 
ed; I have no hesitation in saying it is the best that has 
been manufactured in the States. William Naylor.” 
New-York, 554 Broadway, April, 1842. 
LARGE PIGS. 
Messrs. Editors —I would beg the liberty of send¬ 
ing you the weight of four pigs reared, fatted and killed 
by M. Yanderlin, Esq. of this town. They were a cross 
of the Berkshire with the common hog. The four were 
all of one litter, and 9 months and 8 days old, when killed. 
They were fed with slop from a tavern house, until Sept. 
1st, then they received boiled potatoes, with one bushel 
of meal made of equal parts of corn, oats and peas, to six 
bushels of potatoes, until the 20th of December, when 
killed. No. 1, 483 lbs. | No. 2, 404 lbs. 
“_ 3, 368 “ | « 4, 328 « 
Gross weight, 1,583—Average weight, 395f. 
Manchester, Vt., April 28, 1842. John Cooke, 
