114 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
will retain a greenish color. For timothy, or herds 
grass, we prefer to cut it when the blows are just filling 
up, as we think the stalk retains the juice better than 
when the stalk is dead ripe. Clover we think should be 
cut after it is blown out and the seed is formed, and it 
should be cured in cocks as much as possible, as in that 
case the leaves are saved. L. Durand. 
Derby, Ct. May, 1842. 
AGRICULTURAL THERMOMETER. 
Messrs. Editors —I feel in duty bound to express 
some grateful feelings for the favorable notice you gave 
in your March No. of the Agricultural Thermometer, and 
also for some other notices of your correspondents since 
that time; as I presume you well know that no person 
would incur such an expense of time, study and labor, 
much less of money, as it cost me to construct my little 
thermometer, for such a purpose, who would not enjoy 
great satisfaction to find it producing favorable results. 
You will, perhaps, find yourself under a mistake, as to 
the identity of the person to whom you impute the inven¬ 
tion. You may find the inventor of the thermometer a 
person of greater pretensions in the acquirements of ag¬ 
ricultural science, than the one you hint at, though per¬ 
haps less devoted, and less a proficient in fascinating hor¬ 
ticulture. 
With respect to the small dimensions of my implement, 
you must be aware that prudence forbids going great 
lengths at first, in hazardous untried experiments’. It 
would certainly afford me great pleasure to extend its 
length sufficiently to indicate the highest flights of genius 
and of merit. But the task I had to perform, simply to 
test its practicability, was such as at least, to require some 
time to recruit, before commencing another upon a lar¬ 
ger scale. Could you or your friends, understand the na¬ 
ture of the case, you would not, at any rate, expect it till 
the season of the year shall permit. You must remem¬ 
ber that the precious liquid, the truly aqua mirabilissime 
is, as it is emphatically styled, “ the spirit that dwells in 
flowers,” and it can only be obtained at that season when 
the most glowing verdant heat has excited into action the 
utmost strength of blooming nature, and not when all na¬ 
ture sleeps in the frozen embraces of winter; and be¬ 
sides, were the season present, I could not but dread a 
repetition of the arduous labors I underwent in obtaining 
the first specimen of the article. I could never have ef¬ 
fected it, had it not been for the joint aid of my friend, 
Monsieur, the French chemist, and the sage Wampoosum, 
the Indian doctor. No one but the latter knew the loca¬ 
tion of the flowers necessary, and no one but the former 
could “ wring their shy retiring virtues out.” 
It is generally conceded that all men of great genius 
are eccentric. At any rate, these two were so; and the 
bent of their eccentricities were as opposite as the poles. 
They would neither ride in the same carriage, eat at the 
same table, nor sleep in the same room. The French¬ 
man’s olfactory nerves could not brook the effluvia of 
bear’s grease, with which the doctor’s body was copi¬ 
ously annointed, nor could he endure to see him exercise 
his masticators on raw' beef, nor dispense himself with 
any of the culinary items peculiar to his country; and the 
aboriginal genius was equally disgusted with the French¬ 
man’s loquacity and ceremonious politeness. Even wiien 
thus separated, I was driven to the borders of hypocrisy, 
in being obliged to acquiesce assent to their embittered 
remarks against each other. The Frenchman would ex¬ 
claim, “ Ha! mauvaise sauvage—know noting—he have 
no regard for le chemie et les autres grands sciences—he 
be un brute;” and I had no alternative but to reply_ 
“ oui Monsieur, c’est bien vrai.” And the Indian, perhaps 
in the same half hour, would greet my ears with “ no 
lik’um Frenchman—he no good—he eat’um frog—he 
ro’sum meat all up—he talk'urn too much.” I was 
therefore subjected to the expense and trouble of pro¬ 
viding for them separately; and of transporting them al¬ 
ternately from one stage to another, by ride and tye, 
like the man with his fox and goose and peck of corn. 
As the same aid will be indispensable, you will there¬ 
fore perceive, Messrs. Editors, that it will be a most se¬ 
rious operation, even when the season arrives, to con¬ 
struct another and more extensive thermometer. 
It would give me great pleasure to accomplish it, not¬ 
withstanding the vast fatigue and expense. But I am 
not certain of the aid of the wonderful French chemist, 
nor of that great scholar of nature, the Indian doctor, 
without both which I could not even hope for success. 
I can therefore only promise with great caution. 
I must here be permitted to present my grateful thanks 
to your truly valuable correspondent, Commentator, for 
the kindness of disposition he imputes to me, in being 
more inclined to praise than to blame, at the same time 
confessing the fact. But with respect to the improve¬ 
ment he suggests, I would inform him that were I dis¬ 
posed to avail myself of the quality the instrument al¬ 
ready possesses, it would be needless to add the liquid he 
proposes, as I have lately discovered that its effects, as to 
censure, though of a negative quality, are perfectly ade¬ 
quate. In applying it to several articles, which though 
I do not like to condemn, I could not praise, I found the 
liquid shrunk in bulk, accompanied with a sensible de¬ 
gree of coldness. 
In a late conversation with a friend, on the stupid prac¬ 
tices of some of the stubborn farmers of the old school, 
while merely holding the instrument in my hand, the li¬ 
quid contracted almost to a single drop, while its tem¬ 
perature ell evidently below freezing, accompanied with 
a faint hissing and a sensation somewhat like that of a 
person m an ague fit. I shall still for the present, con¬ 
tinue the occasional use of the instrument in its present 
state, for my own amusement, as I am convinced of its 
correctness as far as it reaches. 
. a PPlying the thermometer lately to the various ar¬ 
ticles from the pen of Commentator, as its effects were 
very peculiar, I was more convinced than I had ever 
been, of its correctness. It showed no marks of agita- 
bon, but became gradually luminous, giving out a degree 
of heat, and rising steadily to the top, the light and heat 
increasing, till both became intense, seeming to assume 
that position as its native home; and I have no doubt, if 
the instrument had been of sufficient length, it would have 
risen with equal tranquility to a much greater height. I 
hope, however, the gentleman will pardon the want of 
sufficient capacity in the instrument to do justice to his 
merits; should I succeed in constructing another, I hope 
it will make ample amends for the present deficiency. 
On the application of the little tube to the writings of 
L. A. Morrel, Esq., the effects were no less singular. 
The magic liquid became slightly luminous, moving up 
and down, as if anxious for greater space. I was a little 
apprehensive of damage to the instrument, from the too 
violent agitation. I ventured, however, to bring it near, 
but not in absolute contact to any of his productions; the 
effect became more violent. The critique rose with 
alarming force to the top, and retreating as if to gather 
strength to make new attacks, with an apparent determi¬ 
nation to force its way through the top of the instrument, 
all the time emitting brilliant scintillations. I was of 
course, reluctantly compelled to withdraw it; which I 
did, with a determination, as soon as the proper season 
arrives, if I can possibly obtain the aid of my two indis¬ 
pensable assistants, to attempt constructing another of 
sufficient capacity and length ; to indicate the extreme ul¬ 
timatum of genius. 
A due regard to extraordinary talent, forbids my feel¬ 
ing any displeasure at the gentlemen, for having thus 
jeopardized my valuable instrument, but if he has any 
thing in store surpassing what has already been given, I 
hope he will exhibit it soon, that I may be better enabled 
to calculate the maximum degree of my contemplated en¬ 
larged thermometer. A. of the North. 
ON BREEDING SHEEP. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —There is not a writer 
of the Cultivator, whose communications I read with 
more unvarying pleasure, than those of your correspon¬ 
dent, L. A. Morrel. There is something so off hand, 
so racy, about him—and then how easily now and then 
he “slides” into the “aromatic!” The man who has de¬ 
voted so much time and care on the protection of the de¬ 
pendant brute—who has so feelingly urged the same hu¬ 
mane course on others, must have his heart in the right 
place —must be a true friend, a kind husband and father, 
and a citizen whose valuable influence and example is 
felt over a wide circle of society. In many, indeed I 
may say in most of the positions assumed by Mr. Morrel 
in the Cultivator, I am happy to say he has my hearty 
concurrence. But in the May No., he has advanced opin¬ 
ions which I am constrained to differ from. Nor is this 
all. He has evinced a want of that gentle charity which 
had previously characterized all the effusions of his pen. 
Mr. Morrel may disbelieve in crossing the Saxon or Me¬ 
rino sheep with the English varieties—but was it neces¬ 
sary for him to stigmatize every such effort on the part 
of others, as “ some sudden impulse of ill-digested en¬ 
terprise ;” and to insinuate that it could originate only in 
the desire to “ humbug” the public—to « find a soft one 
to gull,” and “obtain one’s price!” Have not A, B, or 
C, as good a right to raise cross-breed sheep, as Mr. 
Morrel has pure Saxons—and this too, wdthout having 
their motives impeached? Is Mr. Morrel not aware” 
that even the fine wooled sheep of Spain, the parent stock 
of the Saxons, are usually considered the result of an 
early cross; that Durham cattle, Berkshire hogs, the Eng¬ 
lish race horse, in short, the more valuable varieties of 
all kinds of animals, are the results of crosses? Where 
then, the iniquity, or the “humbuggery,” of attempting 
to supply what one deems the defects of one breed, by 
engrafting on it the better points of another breed? The 
attempt may fail, but has not every one the right to sa¬ 
tisfy himself on the point? Mr. Morrel says his conclu¬ 
sions “ take not their hue from personal interest.” I be¬ 
lieve him. From the acquaintance formed W’ith him 
through his writings, I believe him too much of a gen¬ 
tleman, to advocate falsehood merely to benefit his purse. 
But there are men whom I know to be just as elevated, 
and above wielding a mercenary pen, as I believe Mr. 
Morrell to be,* who are actually engaged in experiment¬ 
ing in the crosses between the Spanish and English vari¬ 
eties. Why should not some of these men turn round 
and impeach Mr. Morrel’s motives? It is as easy to re¬ 
criminate, as it is to criminate. And have the Saxons 
never had anything to do with « humbuggery”—never 
found any “soft ones to gull?” Let the men who have 
purchased them at $50, $100, or $150, a head, answer! • 
And would it be less natural to suppose that a breeder of 
the variety, looked back with a certain hankering after 
a return of such times, than that other men, every way 
as elevated, looked forward to some new speculation? I 
again repeat, however, that I feel confident Mr. Morrel 
is entirely above any such consideration. I would only 
show him that it is never expedient to impute wrong 
motives, in a controversy, to men, who are no more in- 
* I would say to Mr. M. in my own behalf, that I have bred 
some English sheep, and seen more—that I have dabbled some 
in crosses, but only for my own information and amusement, 
never having sold any. 
terested in the result, and consequently no more likely 
tc be influenced by such motives, than ourselves. 
And on what grounds does Mr. Morrel thus scatter his 
arrows right and left, and defy the world to a controversy 
with him? Has he given us the conclusions of a long 
experience? Has he given us the results of accurate ex¬ 
periments? Has he given us the “ knock-down facts” 
which he claims are so much better than “ attempts at 
guessing ,” and « mere speculation ?” Oh no! His denun¬ 
ciation of others, is based merely on his “ opinion ” of 
what their experiments will lead to! He guesses they 
will fail, and therefore he cries « mad dog,” “ specula¬ 
tion,” in advance! He has not tried it, but by a rare spe¬ 
cies of intuition, not vouchsafed to ordinary mortals, he 
knows without trying it! Why, my dear fellow, are not 
other people’s guesses, speculations, and opinions, as good 
as your own? Why demand that your guesses and opin¬ 
ions should be met only by facts—“ knock down facts?” 
Is it not asking a little too much? Stockport. 
5th mo. 8th, 1842. 
RACKS FOR SHEEP, &e. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —A writer from Pough¬ 
keepsie, wishes information of me relative to feeding 
sheep at stacks. He inquires if the rails, on which the 
stack is built, rest on the bottom rails of the pen, or on 
the ground; w-hat is the effect of dust and grass seed on 
the wool, and whether there is not danger of the stack 
falling down and killing the sheep? The rails are laid 
on the ground; the only use of them is to keep the hay 
off the ground. W ith regard to hay seed and dust, they 
will get more or less in the wool on the head and neck; 
and so they will if fed in board boxes or in racks, or in 
any way that I am acquainted with, except feeding on 
the ground. As to the settling of the stack, there is no 
danger, (unless the blocks on which the pen is built, fall 
down,) until the stack is eat down so small that the top 
will go inside of the pen; and to prevent this, I generally 
put three or four rails through the pen under the stack; 
but I think the better way will be, when building the 
stack, after the pen is full and the hay a little higher than 
the top, to lay two rails on each side of the pole at equal 
distances, so that the upper part of the stack will rest on 
six rails, including the two outside ones of the pen. I 
design to build all my stacks in this way the ensuing sum¬ 
mer. There is very little danger of the blocks on which 
the pen is built falling down, if they are as much as 18 
inches in diameter, and both ends sawed off square and 
set level on the ground, and the two first rails to lay level 
on the top of the blocks; the two next that cross them 
should have wedges of wood or stories, the thickness of 
the first rail, put under them on the outer edge of the 
blocks. If built in this w-ay, I think there will be but 
little danger of accidents; at any rate I have not met with 
any this winter. After the bottom is eat out, and the 
sheep have eat out between the rails on which the stack 
rests, it will be necessary to knock the rails a few inches 
to the right or left, that the stack may settle a little; if 
an axe is not heavy enough, a heavy rail, used as a bat¬ 
tering ram, will be sure to answer the purpose. There 
are several advantages in feeding at the stack, and not 
the least is that the sheep are always foddered and fed, 
all, and no more, than they will eat; it cannot rain or 
snow r on the hay that they are eating; the top of the 
stacks are not opened at all, and of course are not ex¬ 
posed to rain and snow. There is also a considerable 
saving of labor. 
I have a cheap fixture for feeding straw or stalks, 
which I will describe. It consists of four round posts, 
about 8 or 9 inches in diameter, 9A feet long, set 2£ feet 
in the ground; the upper ends champered "nearly to an 
edge, and as large a notch or fork cut in the same as the 
timber will allow; in these notches lay two round poles 
7 or 8 inches in diameter, for plates, and across the ends 
of these lay two similar poles; notch and saddle them 
together in the usual way of building a log house; then 
dig a trench from post to post 18 inches deep, and take 
small sized rails or round poles, set them in the trench 
about 9 inches apart, champer the upper ends so thin that 
a tenpenny nail will confine them to the plate; ram the 
dirt firm around the bottom of the rails, and pin on a 
piece of strapping- to the plates to confine the upper ends, 
and put on a roof of split clapboards, or whatever is 
cheapest, leaving the gable ends of the roof open. Such 
a fixture, placed in the barnyard near the threshing floor, 
I found very convenient while I threshed wheat in the 
barn; and even now I find it very convenient to haul a 
few loads of straw or stalks, and throw in for oxen and 
cows that are stabled nights, to pick upon in the day time. 
Nicholas Titus. 
Rutland, Meigs Co., 0., March 14, 1842. 
We shall be glad to receive the promised papers from 
Mr. Titus, on threshing wheat and clearing land. —Eds. 
PRIVET FOR HEDGES. 
Messrs. Editors —In answer to the query of H. Long, 
Esq. of “ Long- Green, Ill.,” in the Cultivator, vol. IX. 
p. 46, concerning the use of Privet for live fences, I 
would say that it has been fully tried in Illinois, and 
found wanting. Some 15 years ago, it was frequently 
seen either in garden hedges or as an ornamental shrub; 
but so far as my acquaintance extends, it has died out. 
This is its great fault: it will die out, and that very sud¬ 
denly. It was propagated by cuttings and layers—not 
by seed. George Churchill. 
Ridge Prairie, Madison Co., III. May, 1842. 
