THE CULTIVATOR. 
159 
(Driginal papers from Contributors. 
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION—ANALYSIS OF 
PLANTS, &c. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker—I wrote an article some 
ten years ago, for the New-York Farmer and Gardener, 
strongly urging on our state government, the advantages 
of establishing a college for the instruction of the sons 
of our farmers. I stated that farming on scientific prin¬ 
ciples would benefit the country infinitely more than the 
cost of instruction; that our farmers would then take that 
stand in society which their intrinsic worth demanded, 
and instead of sending their most talented sons to cities, 
to the total ruin of nineteen-twentieths of them, they 
would consider their own calling as far superior to all 
others. I believe an application was made to our legis¬ 
lature soon after my essay made its appearance, which I 
think was unsuccessful. It is not much to our credit 
that numerous agricultural colleges are being rapidly es¬ 
tablished in Europe, while so little has been done in our 
own country. It appears that such colleges have been 
introduced in Germany and France, and are being estab¬ 
lished in other European countries. The following ex¬ 
tract from the Bath and Cheltenham Gazette, will show 
What is doing in England: 
£c The success of the Kent agricultural college, has led 
to the formation of a similar institute at Shepscombe, near 
Painswick, in this county, (Glostershire.) The design is, 
for a moderate annual payment, to bring up youth from 
14 years of age to 18, giving them, besides a good edu¬ 
cation, instruction in the theory and practice of agricul¬ 
ture, on the best and most scientific principles. On the 
continent, agriculture is taught as a science. In this 
countxy, it has been allowed to depend on isolated instruc¬ 
tion, while all other arts and sciences have had the ad¬ 
vantage of collegiate courses of education. The farms 
attached to the agricultural college at Shepscombe, in¬ 
clude various descriptions of arable, pasture, and wood¬ 
lands, in the immediate vicinity, and extend over 900 
acres.” 
I am well acquainted with the locality; and the land, 
exclusive of the buildings, is worth two hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars. We must recollect that this has been 
done by a single county in England; and yet the great state 
of New- York, extending over a fine agricultural country of 
fifty times its area, has done little or nothing to aid hex- 
farming interest, on which her whole prosperity mainly 
depends. 
A farmer should be well instructed in chemistry gene¬ 
rally, more particularly as applied to agriculture; he 
should be well versed in minei-alogy, geology, botany, 
and in the physiology of seeds, plants, trees, and animals, 
including the species bimana; he should learn geome¬ 
try, mensuration, &c.; he should study political economy 
so fax- as to have a clear conception of the sources of 
wealth and prosperity. In our republican government, he 
should be instructed in his constitutional rights, and 
taught to vindicate them by aterseand condensed elocution. 
It will be a happy event for our country, when farmers so 
educated, shall have the ascendancy in our halls of legisla¬ 
tion, and thereby putastop to the fallacious special plead¬ 
ings of demagogues,who have already reduced our coun¬ 
try, possessing all the means of prosperity in a pre-emi¬ 
nent degx-ee, to a most pitiable condition, by their mise¬ 
rable legislation. 
I had like to have forgotten the main object I had in 
view, when I commenced this article. As we cannot 
have colleges established, I would recommend that a 
fund be raised for the purpose of having all grain, corn, 
seeds, potatoes, roots of every kind, fruits, sti-aw, and 
every variety of grass, analyzed. When this has been 
done by a competent chemist, let us have tables of con¬ 
tents published. We must be careful that none but a 
competent analyzer be employed, for there is quite as 
much empiricism in chemistry as there is in physic. Let 
wheat and wheat straw, barley and its straw, rye and its 
straw, oats and its straw, and so on through the whole 
series, be separately analyzed. If a fund can be raised 
in this country sufficient for the object, let applications 
be made to Germany, France and England, to go through 
the same operations, and give us their results. Both the 
elementary and earthy portions of each must be given. 
With tables made from the analysis of four different na¬ 
tions, any chemist could instantly and accurately deter¬ 
mine what ingredients were necessary to make a soil of 
the most fex-tilizing properties for each and every descrip¬ 
tion of agricultural product. It is but a short time since 
chemistry has been applied practically to agriculture, yet 
every day developes something new. I think it will ei-e 
long, be found, that instead of a succession of crops, the 
raising of one product on the same land, in perpetuo, will 
be found far more beneficial. To do this, it will be only 
necessary to apply to the soil, those materials which eve¬ 
ry plant requires for its constituent principles, and these 
may be developed by a correct analyzer. If agricultux-al 
colleges should ever be established in our country, such 
tables would be of infinite advantage to them, and would 
in fact, be their text book for all practical operations. 
To assist in obtaining so valuable a result, I will be one 
of a hundred, to contribute some twenty or thirty dollars 
each. A fund of from two to three thousand dollars 
would thus be raised; a sum I should consider fully equal 
to pay the most skilful operator for his services. 
. Daniels’ Patent Manure —Since I sent you the ar¬ 
ticle on the use of silicate of potash, Mr. Daniels, the in¬ 
ventor of the new compost for wheat, or some one for 
him, has given a statement of the ingredients used, but 
not the proportions of each. They are wood saw dust, 
fine charcoal, lime, and bitumen. I understand that pa¬ 
tents have been secured in England, France, Germany, 
and in this country, and that extensive applications are 
being made by the leading agriculturists of England. 
Should these experiments pi-ove equal to what has been 
predicted, it would be wise in our government to pur¬ 
chase and give it for the free use of our farmers. I would 
recommend the silicate of potash to be added to the above 
compost. I have been acquainted with the standing of 
Mr. Daniels, for nearly twenty years. He was engaged 
many years in the woolen manufactory of Messrs. Wil¬ 
kins & Co. of Tiverton, near Bath, and has invented vei-y 
many improvements in the fabrication of woolen cloth. 
The permanent gloss given to woolens by steaming, so 
generally adopted by our manufacturers, was one of his 
inventions. The concern failed some two years since, 
principally occasioned by losses sustained in this country. 
It appeai-s that his master mind has been employed for 
the last four or five years, in agricultural improvements. 
New-York, Aug. 8, 1842. Wm. Partridge. 
COST OF WINTERING SHEEP. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Allow me to occupy 
a short space in your columns, by the following state¬ 
ment of the manner in which a small flock of Cotswold 
and South Down sheep were fed upon my farm through 
the last winter. My chief object in giving it, is to cor¬ 
rect an error in a letter of Mr. Grove, published in the 
Transactions of the N. Y. S. A. Society, for 1841, in 
which he draws the comparison of the profits of the Sax- 
ony,(a flock of which he possesses,) and the longer wool- 
ed and large mutton sheep; among which latter, the Cots¬ 
wold and South Down stand the most prominent. Mr. 
Grove makes the latter exox-bitant feeders, that being 
their chiefest characteristic. Therein is the error I 
speak of. He feeds his own flock (Saxony,) from 150 to 
200 lbs. of hay, and 4 bushels of potatoes, daily, to the 
one hundred sheep, and opposes that to a statement found 
in Youatt, making the same number of Bakewells to con¬ 
sume 500 lbs. hay, and about 40 bush, turneps, daily. 
This is indeed extravagant, and well calculated to fix the 
choice upon the smaller and more easily satisfied Saxony. 
My flock consists of sixty-four, 25 of which are bucks 
and wethers, 27 ewes, and 12 lambs. They were yarded 
about the middle of Nov., and fed through the winter 
upon clover hay and turneps alone. Their food was ac¬ 
curately weighed, and I fed 110 lbs. clover, and 5 bush, 
turneps, daily, to the sixty-four. Thus they were fed 
till leaving the yards, about the 15th April,when they ran 
upon rye sown purposely for early feed, excepting that 
the ewes after lambing had a few oats given them, which 
most refused when upon the rye. 
The difference, it would seem, is very little, if any, 
between Mr. Grove’s feeding and my own, so that any 
difference in the profits of the two kinds, must be sought 
for elsewhere. 
My Cotswold fleeces averaged7| lbs. clean wool; the 
South Down 4 7-8 lbs. Many of my flock had lost much 
of their wool. The long continued warm weather, cou¬ 
pled with carelessness in not sufficiently often cleaning 
their yax-ds, was probably the cause of their loss. 
I have never fattened any, so that fx-om my own expe¬ 
rience I can give no statement of the weights they may 
be brought to, or the expense of feeding. I shall, how- 
evei’, the next winter, fat several wethers of both kinds. 
I have now 33 lambs from 27 ewes, two ewes being 
barren, and one sold in lamb last April; making 24 ewes, 
therefore, produce the 33 lambs. 
Albany, Aug. 19, 1842. J. M’D. M’Intyre. 
FODDERING PENS—(Fig. 89.) 
Messrs. Editors —Knowing that you wish to make 
your paper valuable to the farmer, I send you a descrip¬ 
tion of a foddering pen which I use for my cattle. I 
have never seen any thing of the kind described. The 
size may be according to the fancy of the builder, but 
about 5 feet square I find to be the best size; the height 
should be proportioned to the cattle to be fed. It is not 
designed that the posts should be set in the ground, but it 
may be moved from place to place, to suit the conve¬ 
nience of foddering, and in the summer to a corner of the 
yai-d. Description—A, A, A, A, corner posts, 3 by 4 
inches square, 6 feet high.—B, B, B, B, joists 3 by 4, 
placed as in the chawing, over which the cattle must 
come at the hay—C, C, plates which support the roof, 
and confine the top of the posts. The whole should be 
boarded up as high as the braces B. A pen of the above 
description, will allow four cattle to eat at the same pen, 
and prevent fighting, as eveiy creature will have one side 
to himself, and will wholly prevent a waste of hay by 
stepping on it, which I consider the most consequence. 
In windy weather with my pens, I can fodder as saving 
as at any other time. Franklin Co. 
PROFITS OF FARMING. 
’ Messrs. Editors —It is believed by many, that capi¬ 
tal and labor bestowed upon agriculture, is less produc¬ 
tive, than the same amount of capital and labor applied 
to most other branches of business. I think it exceed¬ 
ingly important to ascertain whether this be true or not; 
and also the per centum of clear profit that is realized by 
farmers on the estimated value of their farms. I pro¬ 
pose this as an inquiry, and hope it may receive such at¬ 
tention and call forth such answers, as to fix and settle 
some general principle. The inquiiy is, not what a sin¬ 
gle field or a part of a farm near a good market may 
yield occasionally; but what is the profit of the whole 
farm, including woodland, from year to year, after de¬ 
ducting all the expenses of labor, tools, taxes, fencing, 
the interest of the capital, &c.? Does any farm as a 
whole, do farms generally, yield, independent of all ex¬ 
penses, an income of 7 per cent on the capital invested, 
including land and buildings, stock, and farming uten¬ 
sils? If they fall shoi-t of this, then one of two inferen¬ 
ces must be true, either that money vested in farms is less 
productive than when loaned on interest; or that the 
price of land is genei-ally held much too high; for I be¬ 
lieve it is a correct principle that a farm is in reality, 
worth no more money, than it will pay the interest of, 
after all annual expenses are deducted. 
Will you, Messrs. Editoi’s, and your correspondents, 
give us the result of your experience and observation on 
this subject? 
I do not propose the above inquiries on the principle 
that a man should always engage in that kind of business 
which promises the greatest immediate profit. Far other¬ 
wise. Other considerations should have equal or greater 
weight in determining his choice. And I most fully be¬ 
lieve that the business of agriculture is subject to less 
temptations to vice and crime; less cares, anxieties, and 
excitements; less fluctuations and losses; and is more 
calculated to produce virtuous habits, good health, peace, 
contentment, and ultimate prosperity, than any other busi¬ 
ness. ' “ A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of 
the things which he possesseth;” and if happiness be the 
aim, agriculture is the most certain and pleasant path to 
her abode. pj, p # 
It is very difficult to give a definite answer to the in¬ 
quiries of our correspondent. For a few years past, the 
prices of our agricultural produce have fluctuated so much, 
that the same amount of crops which in one year would 
have given a profit of 10 per cent, in another would not 
yield six per cent, on the capital, expenses, &c. of a 
farm. We firmly believe, however, that any well con¬ 
ditioned, and well managed farm, will, at a fair average 
price for the products of it, yield the owner 7 per cent 
on the capital invested; and we can point to many that 
do far more than this. It must be admitted, however, 
that a great majority of farmers do not receive from their 
farms a profit equal to 7 per cent, owing to the imper¬ 
fect manner in which their business is conducted, and the 
condition of the soils they cultivate. Different views of 
this matter too, will depend on the manner in which the 
profit is reckoned; some considering only as clear profit, 
the cash or products left, after all the expenses for labor, 
taxes, &c. and those of the family, are deducted. This 
is not the correct way. A farmer whose capital inland, 
stock, labor, &c. is ten thousand dollars, may expend in 
taxes, for objects not connected with the farm, and for 
the support of his family, the entire product of his farm • 
so that not a dollar shall be left; and yet, if these expen¬ 
ditures equal in the aggregate 700 dollars, it is clear he 
has received 7 per cent on the capital invested. So at 
least it appears to us; but we are willing to give place 
to such of our correspondents as may choose to be heard 
in the matters referred to by our correspondent. 
CULTURE OF POTATOES, &c. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker— I wish to state my ex¬ 
perience in raising a potatoe crop the past season, upon 
a piece of land which had been worn out by a process 
of skin flint farming, for more than twenty years. It 
was plowed the first season on the 10th of May; again 
on the 1st of July; then buckwheat was sown, and it was 
seeded heavy with clover. As soon as the buckwheat and 
clover began to appear, the piece was sown with about 
two bushels of plaster to the acre. The clover grew fine¬ 
ly, wintered well, and was pastured until the 20th of 
June following, when it was again plowed and sowed 
with buckwheat, which proved an entire failure. I now 
feel qualified to advise all those who wish to raise a 
good crop of buckwheat, not to sow upon freshly plowed 
green sward. In order to have the soil in the best con¬ 
dition possible, it should be plowed early in the spring 
and again immediately before sowing. But to my sub¬ 
ject. The next spring I carted on twenty loads of ma¬ 
nure to the acre, which had been well housed, and which 
I concluded was worth 25 loads of commonly well drench¬ 
ed manure. This was spread upon the surface and im¬ 
mediately plowed in, which I believe to be the best way 
every thing considered, of applying it to our kind of soil • 
it being a heavy loam, and in some places bordering up¬ 
on clay. The ground was then fxu-rowed, three feet 
apart each way, and planted with several kinds of pota¬ 
toes considered the best, in all imaginable ways, lar-e 
and small, cut and uncut. As soon as they were up suf¬ 
ficiently, they were plowed both ways; in about two 
weeks were plowed again, and slightly hilled. When 
gathered in the fall, there was no material difference in 
the lot, and the yield was at the rate of 309 bush, to the 
acre. Tivoli , June 7, 1842. h Cook 
