THE CULTIVATOR. 
141 
BOMMER’S MANURE. 
We published some time since, a notice of Mr. Bom- 
mer’s “new method of making vegetable manures by 
fermentation,” which had attracted some attention, and 
been favorably received in some places in New-Jersey 
and Connecticut. Mr. Bommer, who is now in this ci¬ 
ty, has submitted a proposition to the Executive Com¬ 
mittee of the State Ag. Society, to perform an experi¬ 
ment of converting vegetable matter, such as straw, corn¬ 
stalks, weeds, &c. whether green or dry, into good ma¬ 
nure, in the space of fifteen days. The materials for the 
manure are to be collected and deposited, under the su¬ 
perintendence of the Committee, on the 12th of Septem¬ 
ber, and the heap is to be opened during the Fair, when 
the materials will be found reduced by the fermentation 
to an excellent manure. tc The manure is then to be 
weighed, so as to prove that the weight of the primitive 
materials has been increased four-fold.” The experi¬ 
ment will be made under the direction of a committee 
appointed by the Society, and in such a manner we trust, 
as fully to test the value of this new method of making 
manures. Mr. Bommer’s letter on the subject was re¬ 
ceived too late for insertion, or we should have been 
glad to have published his proposition at length. 
SOUTH DOWNS. 
Beautiful as the improved Short Horn cattle certain¬ 
ly are, they do not exhibit a more marked superiority 
over the original animals of that breed, than does the 
improved South Down over the indigenous stock from 
which they originated: indeed, it may be questioned 
whether the difference in the latter case is not the most 
striking. Of all the English breeders of South Downs, 
there are none more celebrated than Mr. Webb, of Ba- 
braham, he having taken the most of the prizes at the 
meetings of the Royal Agricultural Society, offered for 
this breed of sheep. Mr. Allen has given an interesting- 
account of his visit to Mr. Webb, in company with Mr. 
Stevenson, from which we make a few extracts: 
“ To give an idea of the weight of Mr. Webb’s ani¬ 
mals, the buck selected for Mr. Rotch, though only six 
months old, weighed 152 lbs. on the scales; Bishop 
Meade’s, eighteen months old, 248 lbs.; and Mr. Steven¬ 
son’s of the same age, 254 lbs.; while a wether exhibi¬ 
ted at Cambridge, on Christmas day, 1840, weighed, 
dressed with the head on, 200 lbs., aside from yielding 
28 lbs. rough tallow. The average weight of his weth¬ 
ers, however, at eighteen or twenty months old, is but 
about 30 to 35 lbs. per quarter. The bucks shear from 
9 to 11 lbs., and the average shearing of the whole flock 
is 6 lb. 15 ounces,and of a quality of wool that we thought 
better than the generality of South Downs. The fleece 
is close and compact, and we should think, would resist 
rain, sleet, and snow, nearly as well as the best Merino.” 
Mr. Allen adds respecting Mr. Webb’s sheep ,—“ They 
are very hardy, and are never housed in winter, but lie 
in the open fields and are fed upon hay, with cut tur- 
neps, sugar beet, or mangel wurtzel. In the summer, 
they are taken to a poor pasture by day, at a distant part 
of the farm, for change and exercise, and towards night 
are brought near home, and folded on vetches, clover or 
rape. The lambs after weaning, are turned into fair pas¬ 
ture, and fed about a pint each per day, of beans, oil 
cake, or some kind of grain. Mr. Webb says he is an 
advocate for good feeding, and that a good animal al¬ 
ways pays for it. This is our doctrine, and if people 
want South Downs to starve, they had better take up with 
the smallest of the old unimproved race.” 
Messrs. Bement and M’lntyre, in the vicinity of this 
city, have beautiful flocks of South Downs, and the flock 
of Mr. Roteh, of Butternuts in this state, is one of the 
best in the Union, embracing, as it does, the blood of 
the Duke of Richmond’s, and Messrs. Ellman’s and Gran¬ 
tham’s flocks, and now that of Mr. Webb’s—specimens of 
which we presume Mr. R. will send to the State Fair. 
Mr. Rotch’s sheep have proved perfectly hardy, winter¬ 
ing finely on nothing but hay; and we have little doubt 
that where fine qualities of wool are not the great object 
in sheep growing, the South Downs will prove to be one 
of the best breeds for the farmer. 
AGRICULTURAL WAREHOUSES. 
We are pleased to learn that Agricultural Warehouses 
have recently been opened at Syracuse and Troy—at Sy¬ 
racuse, by Messrs. B. F. Smith & Co., and at Troy, by 
Mr. H. Warren . At these establishments most of the 
new and improved implements of Agriculture will be 
kept constantly for sale, and we trust that their enterpri¬ 
sing proprietors will meet an adequate reward for their 
efforts to aid our farmers in obtaining the best imple¬ 
ments to be had in the country. The value of such es¬ 
tablishments to a farming community can scarcely be es¬ 
timated too highly, or properly appreciated until their 
effects are known and experienced. Few things have 
more seriously retarded the great work of agricultural 
improvement, than the want of good implements and good 
seeds. Without both these, the labors of the farmer are 
conducted at the greatest disadvantage; with them he has 
a reasonable prospect of success. It is not too much too 
say that the Agricultural Warehouses of Boston, the most 
complete in their arrangements and assortment of any in 
the Union, add annually millions to the productive in¬ 
dustry of Massachusetts; nor are the benefits confined to 
the limits of the old Bay state alone. Massachusetts 
plows, and other implements, are made and furnished to 
almost every quarter of the country, and all are reaping 
the benefits of her skill and ingenuity. 
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND FAIRS. 
NEW-YORK STATE AG. SOCIETY. 
UNITED STATES AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
James M. Garnett, Loretto, Essex co,, Ya. Pres’t; Oliver 
Whittlesey, Washington City, Cor. Sec’y. Annual meeting at 
Washington City, on the first Wednesday in May. 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
New-York —James S- Wadsworth, Geneseo, Pres’t; Henry S. 
Randall, Cortland Village, Cor. Sec’y ; Luther Tucker, Albany, 
Rec. Sec’y. Fair at Albany, Sept. 28 and 29, 1842. 
American Institute, New-York—James Tallmadge, Pres’t; T. 
B. Wakeman, Cor. Sec’y. General exhibition commences Oct. 
10—Plowing Match at East New-York, Oct. 12—Exhibition of 
animals, Oct. 19, 20. 
Massachusetts —Benjamin Guild, Sec’y, Boston. This Society 
holds no Fair the present year. Its premiums for stock are to 
be awarded at the annual Shows of the Plymouth and the Hamp¬ 
shire, Franklin and Hampden county societies. Its liberal pre¬ 
miums for farms, experiments, inventions, &c. are to be award¬ 
ed by a committee appointed for that purpose, in Dec. next. 
Rhode Island— Fair at Pawtuxet, Sept. 28. 
Massachusetts Hort. Society —M. P. Wilder, Pres’t; J. E. Tes- 
chemecher, Cor. Sec’y; Eben. Wight, Rec. Sec’y. Annual Ex¬ 
hibition in Boston, Sept. 14, 15, and 16. 
Alabama —Henry W. Collier, Tuscaloosa, Pres’t; M. D. J. 
Slade, Tuscaloosa, Cor. Sec’y. 
NEW-YORIC COUNTY SOCIETIES. 
Albany —Teunis Van Vechten, Albany, Pres’t; Luther Tucker, 
Albany, Cor. Sec’y. 
Cayuga—J. M. Sherwood, Auburn, Pres’t; W. Richardson, 
Auburn, Sec’y. Fair at Auburn, Oct. 12, 13. 
Columbia —Wm. B. Ludlow, Claverack, Pres’t; James McGif- 
fort, Hudson, Sec’y. Fair at Hudson, Oct. 11. 
Chemung—A. J. Wynkoop, Chemung, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at 
Fairport, Oct. 19. 
Chautauqua —T. B. Campbell, Westfield, Pres’t. Fair at West- 
field, Sept. 28, 29. 
Clinton— Z. C. Platt, Plattsburgh, Pres’t; Jacob H. Holt, 
Plattsburgh, Cor. Sec’y. 
Cortland —Dan Hibbard, Cortland Village, Pres’t; Amos Rice, 
Homer, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Homer, Oct. 5. 
Dutchess —George Kneeland, Poughkeepsie, Sec’y. Fair at 
Washington, Oct. 5. 
Erie—L. F. Allen, Black Rock, Pres’t; Warren Bryant, Buf¬ 
falo, Sec’y. Fair at Buffalo, Oct. 5, 6. 
Genesee —Fair at Batavia, Oct, 20, 21. 
Greene —Anthony Van Bergen, Coxsackie, Pres’t; A. Marks, 
Durham, Sec’y. 
Jefferson —Adriel Ely, Watertown, Sec’y. Fair at Watertown, 
Sept. 15. 
Livingston —James S. Wadsworth, Geneseo, Pres’t. Fair at 
Geneseo, Oct. 4, 5. 
Monroe —Henry Colman, Rochester, Pres’t; H. M. Ward, Ro¬ 
chester, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Rochester, Oct. 13, 14. 
Montgomery —Fair Oct. 11, 12. 
Niagara —Wm. A. Townsend, Lockport, Pres’t; Wm. Parsons, 
Lockport, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Lockport, Oct, 6, 7. 
Oneida —Pomeroy Jones, Westmoreland, Pres’t; Elon Com¬ 
stock, Stokes, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Rome, Oct. 12, 13. 
Onondaga —Wm. Fuller, Skaneateles, Pres’t; Enoch Marks, 
Navarino, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Syracuse, Oct. 5, 6. 
Orange —Fair at Goshen, Oct. 12. 
Ontario —Fair at Canandaigua, Oct. 12, 13. 
Oswego —Orville Robinson, Mexico, Pres’t; S. Y. Baldwin, 
Oswego, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Mexico, Oct. 5. 
Queens— Effingham Lawrence, Flushing, Pres’t; A. G. Carll, 
Jericho, Cor. Sec’y. 
Rensselaes —Joseph Hastings, Brunswick, Pres’t; G. B. Kel¬ 
logg, Troy, Sec’y. Fair at Lansingburgh, Oct 4, 5. 
Sara,toga —Howell Gardner, West Greenfield, Pres’t; J. A. 
Corey, Saratoga Springs, Sec’y. Fair at Ballston, Oct. 4. . 
Seneca— G. V. Sackett, Seneca Falls, Pres’t; Samuel Williams, 
Waterloo, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Waterloo, Oct. 20, 21. 
Steuben —Z. A. Leland, Bath, Cor. Sec’y. 
St. Lawrence —J. S. Russel, Canton, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Can¬ 
ton, Sept. 14. 
Tompkins —Nichol Halsey, Ulysses, Pres’t; L. A. Morrell, 
Lake Ridge, Cor. Sec’y, Fair at Ithaca, Oct. 6, 7. 
Wayne —S. E. Hudson, Newark, Pres’t; Stephen Culver, New¬ 
ark, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Palmyra, Sept. 5, 6. 
Washington —John Savage, Salem, Pres’t; Asa Fitch, jr. Sa¬ 
lem, Sec’y. Fair at Salem, Oct. 11. 
CONNECTICUT SOCIETIES. 
Hartford —Solomon Olmsted, East Hartford, Pres’t; Nathan 
Johnson, Hartford, Cor. Sec’y. Fair at Hartford, Oct. 4, 5, 6,— 
Cattle Show and Plowing Match, Oct. 7. 
New Haven —Benjamin Silliman, New Haven, Pres’t; Alfred 
Blackman, New Haven, Cor. Sec’y ; Henry Whitney, Rec. Sec’y. 
Fair at New Haven, Sept. 2S, 29. 
Litchfield —Fair at Litchfield, Sept. 2S, 29. 
Enfield, Somers , Ellington, and East Windsor —Benj. Pinney, 
Ellington, Pres’t; Joseph S. Bartlett, Scantic Tillage, Sec’y. 
Fair at Enfield, Oct. 12. 
MASSACHUSETTS COUNTY SOCIETIES. 
Berkshire — [Instituted in 1S10.] R. F. Barnard, Sheffield, 
Pres’t; Julius Rockwell, Pittsfield, Sec’y. Fair at Pittsfield, 
Oct. 5, 6. 
ILousatonic— Fair a Great Barrington, Sept. 28, 29. 
Essex —Fair at Andover, Sept. 28. 
MARYLAND. 
Prince George’s Society —Annual meetings held in Upper Marl¬ 
borough, generally in the month of November. Gov. Samuel 
Sprigg, Pres’t; Robert Bowie, Sec’y ; Thomas F. Bowie, Cor. 
Sec’y. Their address Upper Marlborough. 
MICHIGAN COUNTY SOCIETIES. 
Monroe —Fair at Monroe, Sept. 28. 
OHIO COUNTY SOCIETIES. 
Seneca —R. G. Pennington, Tiffin, Sec’y. Fair at Tiffin in Oct. 
Hamilton —J. Mallard, Cincinnati, Pres’t. Fair at Caithage, 
Sept. 14, 15. 
ILLINOIS SOCIETIES. 
Farmer’s Ag. Society of the Upper Mississippi —-T. C. Legate, 
Galena, Pres’t , T. Melville, Galena, Sec’y. Fair at Galena, 
Oct. 5, 6. 
Union Society —J. T. Gifford, Elgin, Pres’t ; J. S. Wright, Chi¬ 
cago, Sec’y. Fair at Aurora, Oct. 19. 
MISSOURI COUNTY SOCIETIES. 
St. Louis —Wm. C. Carr, St. Louis, Pres’t ; P. Gould, St. 
Louis, Sec’y. Fair at St. Louis, Oct. 18. 
CANADA SOCIETIES. 
Wellington —John Howitt, Guelph, Pres’t ; John Harland, 
Guelph, Sec’y. Fairs at Fergus, Oct. 4, at Berba, Oct. 7, and 
general exhibition at Guelph, Oct. 11. 
Gore —Fair at Dundas, Oct. 13. 
Northumberland —Fair at Grafton, Oct. 12. 
Durham —Fair at Bowmanville, Oct. 18. 
Home —E. W. Thompson, Toronto, Pres’t; G. B. Wells, To¬ 
ronto, Sec’y. Fair at Toronto, Oct. 12. 
Large Fleeces.— Claudius Allen, Esq. of Cheshire, 
Ct., last year sheared from one sheep, one year old, 14 
lbs., and from three sheep of the same age, 33£ lbs of 
wool. This year, from 11 ewes and 1 buck, he cut88 lbs. 
We hope the suggestions contained in the following 
letter, will receive the serious consideration of all who 
desire the prosperity of the N. Y. S. Ag. Society—who 
wish to see its influence and usefulness extended to eve¬ 
ry section of the state. Instead of the few names now 
enrolled on its list, its members ought to be numbered by 
thousands; and we know of no way so well calculated 
to excite an interest in its behalf, as the one proposed by 
our correspondent. Who will second his proposition? 
Messrs. Editors —I read your paper with deep inter 
est, and let me add, I am never disappointed of a treat 
I have this month, been well pleased with the “Com 
ments upon the June No.” Allow me to offer a thought 
or two, upon the following remark from the series: “ As 
to the National Agricultural Society, I apprehend that ‘ the 
enthusiasm, the esprit du corps,’ so essential to its bene¬ 
ficial existence, are spirits yet to be evoked from the 
vasty deep, and I know none of its friends sufficiently 
trumpet-tongued to call them forth.” 
Now, from all this in reference to the National Soci¬ 
ety, let me call your attention to the State Agricultural 
Society; and let me ask if there he not need of a strong 
and immediate call throughout our state, upon every 
class of agriculturists, to incite, animate, inform, and give 
unity and efficiency to our powers and means as a soci¬ 
ety. It strikes me, that the Society should endeavor to 
have its members in every county, city, town, and village 
of the State. This can only be effected by a persevering 
agency. I greatly desire to see every district of the 
state visited by an intelligent agent, who shall advocate 
the views of the State Society, procure members, obtain 
statistics, collect valuable materials for publication, and 
scatter, by lectures and social intercourse, information 
which can in no other way be disseminated. 
Now all this should be done at once. It will and must 
be done, before the state is brought under the best possi¬ 
ble amount of improvement. I want to see some “ trum¬ 
pet tongue” going through every section of New-York. 
The expense would never be felt by the Society, because 
the agency would be vastly productive in funds to the 
treasury. And if the idea of employing an agent from 
the funds, be not feasible, are there not a few men who 
will cheerfully contribute 50 or 100 dollars, to such an 
important object? I will cheerfully be one of the num¬ 
ber, and if such a movement be entered into at the Fair, 
for the coming winter, I will enter my name as a con¬ 
tributor for two or three years, and I cannot but believe 
a suitable man may be found. 
Cannot this occupy the thought of the friends of agri¬ 
culture, previous to the meeting in September? 
Yours, &c. Dutchess County. 
QUANTITY OF SEED PEE, ACRE. 
Much of the success of the farmer is clearly depending 
on the quantity and quality of the seeds he selects and 
uses. Good sound plump seed, thoroughly ripened, and 
carefully kept in positions where it has not been exposed 
to the danger of heating, will be found the best in every 
respect. Indian corn is very easily damaged in this way; 
and we once lost a crop by using seed selected at the time 
of husking, and thrown, with the husks stripped down, into 
a large tub, where it lay for a considerable time, before 
time was found to remove and trace it up. The heating 
process had so far advanced that the germinating power 
was lost. Wheat sometimes fails from the same cause. 
Constant selection of the best kinds grown in his field, 
and the use of none but such, will in a great measure ob¬ 
viate the necessity for changing seed frequently, which 
without this precaution, is advisable. There is scarcely 
any point in which a greater difference between our ag¬ 
riculture and that of England exists, than in the quantity 
of seed used per acre. The excellent farming of Mr. 
Coke, (Earl of Leicester,) who used a greater quantity 
of seed than almost any other English farmer, had a great 
effect in increasing the quantity of seed sown generally; 
and the impression in that country is, that the proper 
quantity per acre, is now oftener exceeded than fallen 
short of in seeding. Mr. Johnston says, C£ as in most 
cases it is usual to have on the land, many more seedling 
plants, than the soil can properly mature, thinner sowing 
has the effect of producing stronger, healthier, and more 
prolific heads; and I am still inclined to this opinion of 
thinner sowing.” The following is a table, given by 
Mr. Johnston, of the quantities in common use in that 
country, which it will be seen at a glance greatly exceed 
the quantity of seeds used here. Whether the quantity 
used here might not be advantageously increased, is for 
the farmer to determine by experiment. We are in¬ 
clined to think it might; though not to the extent prac¬ 
ticed by British agriculturists. 
Wheat,. 
Oats,.. 
Barley,. 
Rye, . 
Beans,... 
Peas, . 
Tares, . 
Buckwheat, . 
Clover, Red,. 
•-, White,.l f 
Trefoil, .(Mixed) 
Red Clover, — [seeds,] 
Rye Grass,.j l 
Turneps,. 
Time of Sowing. 
Broadcast. 
Sept, to Dec.-- 
2£ to 3g bush. 
Feb. to April,- 
4 to 6 
Feb. to May, • • • ■ 
3 to 4 
Aug. and Sept. • • • 
2g to 3£ 
Nov. to March, • • 
3 to 4 
Jan. to March, • - ■ 
3| to 41 
Aug. to March, • • 
2.1 to 3 
May,. 
2 to 21 
March and April, 
12 to 16 lb. 
Ditto,. 
3 to 4 
Ditto,. 
2 
Ditto,. 
2 
Ditto,. 
1 peck. 
May to Aug.. 
2 to 3 lb. 
Large Lamb.- —Mr. J. L. Dean, Union Springs, N. 
Y> has a Leicester lamb, which at 8 weeks old, weighed 
75 lbs., and at 12 weeks, 93 lbs. 
