150 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
best plants, that at one inch the most; although from some 
unexplained cause, about one-sixth of the seed in all the 
rows, failed of germinating. Other experiments with 
nearly the same results, and close observation of the dif¬ 
ferent modes of sowing, has convinced me that covering 
wheat too deeply, is to cause a loss of a large portion of 
the seed, and seriously impair the germinating powers 
of the remainder. On the contrary, when the seed wheat 
is covered too shallow, it is more liable to destruction 
from insects, and from drouth, and is not so well prepar¬ 
ed to endure the frosts of our winters, as when planted 
deeper. I apprehend too, that w r here wheat is put into 
barns, packed in large mows, and perhaps but imper¬ 
fectly cured, the mass, in undergoing the sweating pro¬ 
cess, through which it is certain to pass, accumulates so 
much heat as to change in some degree the vital proper¬ 
ties of the grain, and partially destroy its germinating 
power. This may be the case without altering in any 
degree the external appearance of the grain. 
(To be continued.) 
A Wheat Grower of Western New-York. 
FARMING IN PENNSYLVANIA. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —In looking over the 
columns of your paper, as l am accustomed to do, to see 
what is being done in the distant sections of the country, 
as well as the manner in which the varied operations of 
agriculture, &c. are performed, the amusement or in¬ 
struction consists chiefly in witnessing something new to 
me. In communications to such a work as the Cultiva¬ 
tor, truth and brevity are characteristics that render them 
tolerable to many of its readers, while puffing and bick¬ 
ering must become stale, and give place to discussion 
that may elicit truth, and facts established by investiga¬ 
tion and experiment. Fertile land, high manuring, and 
good cultivation, will often give good crops, the amount 
of which being given, may stimulate those who were 
sleeping over improvement., with the idea that they had 
carried it to the utmost extent. Those whose knowledge 
is obtained from observation limited to one section of 
country, may startle at the production per acre of other 
districts of more congenial climate and soil, and be led 
to remedy the defects in their own. It is not amiss also 
to know what is the average production, with the ordi¬ 
nary or usual cultivation in the various crops in different 
parts of the country. Some might be saved the cost and 
disappointment of emigration, by such information. And 
by way of suggestion, I will give you an example of 
what I would wish to see from other parts of the coun¬ 
try. To describe a farm in these parts, of moderate size 
and quality, without river alluvion, say 150 acres, worth 
at recent prices, 60 to 100 dollars per acre, 25 acres of 
wood land,ten enclosures 12 acres each, the remainder oc¬ 
cupied by buildings, orchards, roads, &c. The usual mode 
of farming some 40 years past, one field in corn first year; 
2d year, oats or barley; 3d year, wheat with manure, and 
sown with grass seed, mostly clover and timothy, which 
is mown 2 or 3 years, producing 1 to 2 tons per acre; 
then grazed till its turn for plowing again; consequently 
there are 36 acres in grain, and 24 acres kept for mow¬ 
ing; the balance, 60 acres, in pasture, on which 12 to 20 
head of cattle are fattened annually, besides pasturing 2 
to 4 horses, 1 or 2 pair of oxen, and 2 to 4 milch cows, 
for the use of the farm and family. Under this rather 
severe system of cropping, we may put the product per 
acre of corn, at 30 to 60 bushels, shelled, without ma¬ 
nure; oats, 30 to 50 bushels; wheat, 10 to 20 bushels, 
manured about 20 cart loads per acre. Corn is planted 4 
to 4feet each way, 3 to 4 stalks in a hill; w r hen suffi¬ 
ciently ripe, the stalks of four hills are drawn together 
and tied by their tops, forming a stand around which, 
six to eight hills square, are set up as they are cut, form¬ 
ing a shock, which is tied round the top. The knife 
used, is made of an old scythe, cut in two, a start drawn 
where cut, and a handle put on; making a cutter about 
2| feet long, easily used in one hand, with which a hand 
will cut much faster than with a hoe. The stalks are 
cut about a foot from the ground, and again when the 
ground is frozen, a hoe will speedily cut the stubs level 
with the surface. 
For grazing cattle, red clover is considered little 
worth; and being a biennial, is soon replaced by the 
green and blue grass, and white clover, which spring up 
spontaneously, and produce a rich pasture. I will here 
say, that in several experiments with dry corn, or corn 
meal ground in the ear, given to cattle, swelled, hoven, 
or bloated by eating cold or wet grass, the cure has been 
speedy and complete. 
Lime and gypsum are used generally, and supposed to 
be fertilizing to most of the land in this district. Hy¬ 
drate of lime, applied to growing plants, is perhaps 
mostly injurious, unless it changes some property of the 
soil, more baneful than itself. That condition of the soil 
in which plants of an acid character flourish, and those 
affording starch or sugar dwindle, on high and dry land 
too, indicates acidity or a prejudicial influence on many 
of the plants we cultivate, which are exotics; though it 
may be favorable to the growth of many that are indi¬ 
genous. This state of acidity prevails more, perhaps, in 
southern than northern climates, and in silicious soils in 
which carbonate of lime is not a component part; and 
also on ferruginous soil, lime is generally found to be 
useful; it is mostly spread on grass land, a year or two 
before plowing. 
In taking hold of the pen instead of the plow, with 
which I am more conversant, the object, in part;'at least, 
was to inquire whether any attempt had been made, if 
any, with what success, to cultivate the olive tree within 
the U. States, (southern, of course,) that thereby oil might 
be furnished for grease eaters, &c. and that execrable ap¬ 
pendage to farm stock, the hog, might be dispensed with, 
and in company with the bear, allowed to roam his na¬ 
tive wilds, the forests of Central Europe. Neither Tal¬ 
mud, nor Koran, or any creed other than sanatory and 
utilitarian, has led to this conclusion. And if profit or 
health was consulted, it is doubtful whether either would 
be advanced by the production and use of pork. Now 
if you decide that the Langstaffian character of this 
paper, entitles it to the honor of lighting your pipe, it is 
as much at your disposal, as the neck of a Musselman 
with the bow string around it, is to his superior. B. 
Chester co. Pa. July 18, 1842. 
FARMING IN ILLINOIS. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Our wheat harvest is 
about finished; the crop has been considerably injured 
by the rust; some have lost most of their crop, others on¬ 
ly part, and some very little if any injured. Out of 75, 
I lost 25 acres: but on the whole, it is an average crop 
this year; the quantity is as three to two acres compared 
with last year. We anticipate low prices for this crop. 
We must adopt a different course in the preparation of 
our ground for wheat; sow earlier, prepare the seed dif¬ 
ferent, or apply some preventive, else our wheat crop 
will be an uncertain one, as it has been for the four 
years past. With the exception of rust, as yet, we have 
had very few drawbacks upon wheat growing in this sec¬ 
tion. Can any of the numerous readers of the Cultivator, 
inform their brother farmers in this western region, what 
will prevent it? Is there any one kind of wheat, more 
than another, that is free from rust? 
Our corn crop looks unpromising enough; just tassel- 
ing out. This and yesterday morning, we had slight 
frosts in some places; not to do any injury however. The 
low price obtained for the last crop, makes us rather in¬ 
different about this; there is enough on hand of old corn, 
to fatten our pork this year. 
Will some one, having the knowledge, give the mo¬ 
dus operandi of kiln-drying corn; also the description of 
the apparatus, the cost, &c. I would like to make the 
inquiry, if corn kiln-dried, is used in any way except 
for meal. Corn shelled, in the bulk, cannot for any 
length of time, be kept with safety, at that season of the 
year we can ship it to market. It is of vast importance 
to this section, that corn should be put into such condi¬ 
tion, that it can be sent with safety to a market at consi¬ 
derable distance, for we cannot consume what we produce 
of that article. It appears from the last census, that the 
amount of corn produced in this state in 1840, was 22,- 
523,635 bushels, valued at 20 cts. per bushel, (rather 
over rated in price,) making between 49 and 60 bushels 
to each inhabitant in the state, which according to the 
estimated price, gives about $10 to each inhabitant; and 
the amount given will increase from year to year, in a 
much greater ratio than the inhabitants. Our extensive 
and fertile prairies, as yet are but sparsely settled in ma¬ 
ny parts; we are yet but in our infancy in agriculture, in 
this state; much of our corn is put into pork, but all of 
it cannot be, profitably. Eastern farmers (except for 
their own use,) must make up their minds to give up 
pork and corn growing, for the west and south will pro¬ 
duce it at so small cost, that eastern farmers cannot pro¬ 
duce it with any profit. Our oat crop is always good, 
from 40 to 70 bushels per acre is realized. But for the 
high rates of transportation through the Erie Canal, we 
could supply the eastern market at very low prices; as it 
is, we have shipped considerable quantities to New-York 
the present season. There is no agricultural product 
produced in the same latitude with us, that cannot be 
produced in this western region at less expense than at 
the east. I am respectfully yours, 
Lewis Ellsworth. 
Naperville, Du Page co. III. Aug. 2, 1842. 
‘•'SPARE THE BIRDS.” 
Messrs. Editors —I observe in the last number of 
the Cultivator, that your interesting correspondent L. A. 
Morrell, has taken up the cause of the birds, and objects 
“ in all cases whatsoever,” to their destruction. In con¬ 
troverting, however, the recommendation of the writer of 
the essay to which he alludes, I should have been better 
pleased had he given the reasons with that recommenda¬ 
tion. Can he object to the writer’s logic, where he says, 
“ ‘ Denizens of the air’ have no more right to our pro¬ 
perty than denizens of the earth. Plunderers on two 
legs are not more respectable than plunderers on four 
legs; and cedar-birds are entitled to no more regard than 
rats, unless personal beauty can atone for moral deformi¬ 
ty.” If birds, who destroy whole crops of fine cherries, 
are to be protected; then I wish, with all respect to your 
correspondent, to ask him, if the dogs that destroy his 
sheep, are not also to be protected? I ask him to permit 
me to copy one part of his communication, only altering 
the word “bird,” to that of dog: 
“Now, I am not distinguished for ‘womanish’ feel¬ 
ings, but I declare I have not the heart to kill a dog of 
any sort; when seeing them gnawing at the sheep and 
lambs, often have I said to myself, there is mutton enough 
for us both; and with Uncle Toby, when he let go the 
fly, there is also, room in the world for us both.” 
I should hardly think, that even your correspondent 
would approve of carrying the theory and practice of 
protection so far as this; but I really for the life of me, 
cannot see why they are not as applicable in one case as 
in the other. Our abitrary notions of beauty may tell us 
that the birds are the handsomest; but is a handsome rob¬ 
ber to be rescued from the state prison on account of the 
shape of his face? And are dogs, who equally fulfil their 
animal instinct in destroying sheep, with birds in de¬ 
stroying fruit, to be shot down with the rifle, while the 
birds are to be spared? The cultivator of a fine orchard, 
has in general, expended labor and money, no less than 
the owner of a flock of sheep, and values no less the fruit 
of his exertions; and why is it then, that when the toil 
of years is about to be crowned with its reward, he must 
see the whole snatched from before his eyes, without be¬ 
ing permitted to lift a finger, while the sheep man, 
even if one solitary individual of his flock is in danger, 
can call out all his forces and punish with instant death, 
the destroyer of his own property? If I do not argue 
soundly, I am sorry, and ask to be corrected. 
Wayne co. N. Y. 1842. A Fruit-Man. 
CORN CUTTERS. 
I have noticed “Commentator” in reply to “A Farm¬ 
er,” with respect to the best coni cutter. I have given 
a full and fair trial to such as “ Commentator” most ap¬ 
proves; they are far inferior both as to “economy and 
efficiency” to the one recommended by “A Farmer.” 
There is a pre-requisite (in using the small hoe—the one 
he most approves,) that renders its use in stony land, 
wholly inefficient. He says it “must be kept sharp;” it 
will remain so, I grant, in light sandy soils, and will do 
well; though even when sharp, it is inferior to the one 
recommended and fully tested by “ A Farmer.” This 
latter will “keep sharp:” for its edge does not come in 
contact with stones, and the corn is cut within 3 inches 
of the surface of the ground. As to “ economy,” I would 
engage to supply my kind of cutters at one shilling each, 
by the dozen, or hundred, and then make a living profit. 
A Farmer. 
A TWO-HEADED CALF. 
Editors of the Cultivator —Supposing you to be 
interested in every thing wonderful in the animal as well 
as vegetable kingdom, I state to you the following facts: 
J. Elliott, Esq. of this place, has the skin of a two faced 
calf, stuffed, and standing large as life, on all fours. The 
cow not being able to give it birth, it was taken from 
her, and killed in the operation. The faces are of full 
size and perfect; not in the same place, but meeting in 
front and inclining back. Each is provided with a mouth 
and two eyes. They have an ear apiece on the outside, 
and share one in common on top of the head. The two 
forward eyes are on a line with the foremost point of 
the head, and are four inches apart. The other two are 
situated on the outside of the faces, where the head be¬ 
gins to diminish towards the neck; so that this singular 
creature could have beheld objects in every direction at 
the same moment. A Subscriber. 
Mount Vernon, O., July 28, 1842. 
QUEEN B EE S. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Agreeably to your re¬ 
quest in Cultivator No. 7, page 110, vol. IX, I send you for 
the examination of Mr. H. Palmer, or any other person 
concerned, a drone or male bee, a neuter or working bee, 
together with the thing that never was. They were 
saved from a swarm taken up last winter. If Mr. P. will 
watch a swarm of bees after they have settled or attached 
themselves to the limb, he can see the thing very often; 
for she is continually crawling about* among the bees, 
and is frequently in sight. I believe Mr. Weeks’ manu¬ 
al to be a correct work on bees, and also a very useful 
one. Alfred, N. Y. July 12, 1842. David Rose. 
Silk dTnUttri) in Il)2 Hnitci) State's. 
DIRECTIONS FOR REELING SILK. 
A small portable furnace, with some burning charcoal, 
is very useful for keeping the water hot, and should al¬ 
ways be used. On this, place a copper or tin vessel, 
broad and flat, say six inches deep, 18 inches long, and 
12 inches wide. Fill the vessel with hot water, not quite 
boiling, and put into the water two or three dozen co¬ 
coons, from which ail the loose tow has been taken. 
With a small wisp of broom-straw, stir the cocoons 
about, occasionally raising the wisp to see if the end of 
a fibre has attached itself to it, and if such is the case, 
take the fibre in the left hand, and proceed again, as be¬ 
fore, stirring the cocoons with the wisp, and securing 
the fibres in the left hand, until you have got fifteen or 
twenty; then attach them to the bar of the reel, and let 
an attendant turn the reel rapidly. Watch the cocoons 
carefully, so that you may observe if they run or unwind 
well. If you observe any of them drawn up out of the 
water, the water is not hot enough; if the fibres come 
off the cocoons in burs or clusters, the water is too hot. 
In the former case you must increase the heat of the wa¬ 
ter by pouring into the pan some boiling water; in the 
the latter case you must cool it, by putting in cold wa¬ 
ter. The great difficulty in reeling, consists in ascer¬ 
taining the proper degree of heat of the water, required 
for different parcels of cocoons. Some cocoons require 
the water to be only of blood heat; and others of all de¬ 
grees from blood heat to near the boiling point. But a 
little experience will teach the degree of heat required, 
so that the reeler will know in a moment whether the 
water is of a proper temperature. 
When you have got as many fibres running on the reel 
