86

A DRILL CULTIVATOR AND MARKER.

the macrophylla, we could have time to labor much a state of rest. In the position of the holder above at other improvements. Just think of three-quarters described, the effort is not so much confined to the of a mile of fencing per hand, and calculate the arms as otherwise it would be, and actually causes cost. Why, sir, the yearly cost would put in the no more fatigue than ordinary plowing. This imground a hedge, and one-tenth the expense would plement is evidently not adapted to uneven or stony keep it up as long as we should live. Besides, land; and where these difficulties exist to such an timber is more scarce in some regions, and getting extent as not to be easily remedied, it will be better so in many others, which will cause an increase of to avoid them altogether, by adopting other modes expense. of culture.

I might say something of pasturage, of its saving of corn, of its ability to keep up stock, &c. But I am tired of writing, and I suppose my friends are of reading. I therefore close by subscribing myself, Edwards Depôt, Miss.

M. W. PHILIPS.

A DRILL CULTIVATOR AND MARKER. I HAVE now at the Fair of the American Institute two implements, the one denominated a Drill Cultivator, and the other a Drill Marker and Vine Layer, of both which I believe myself to be the original inventor.

In

Having cultivated four acres of strawberry plants with these implements during the last two seasons, I will briefly describe the method of their use. the first place, some slight inequalities in the surface of the ground were removed by a common road scraper for filling ruts. For marking the ground in drills I used the cultivator with the eight wooden teeth and the wheels. When sufficiently smooth and even, a line was extended on one side of the field, and a mark drawn by it for the outside tooth of the implement. It being then taken up, was stretched close on the ground, as a guide to the rider, where the horse should walk, to bring the outside tooth to follow the mark already drawn; and the process was continued, crossing the field back and forth until the whole was finished. The unexpected ease with which the implement was managed, surprised me, and I was not a little gratified to find that none of the many present could distinguish those marks in which a tooth had returned. The guiding is rather a nice matter, yet by no means difficult, much less impracticable, as had been predicted. It requires, however, a slow horse and a careful rider.

That strawberry vines are not materially injured by the feet of the horse I have proved by experiment; whether if the implement were used for turnips, beets, &c., this objection would be valid, I cannot say; but should venture to presume that the damage, if any, to single plants, here and there, would be much more than compensated by the sav ing of labor and other advantages. For these crops, it is suggested, that three harrow teeth, set at three inches apart, would be a very good substitute for one of the shares. With this alteration the wheels might be unnecessary.

DRILL CULTIVATOR.-FIG. 21. Description.-bbbbb, Shares to run between the drill. The wheels are about one foot in diameter. 1, d, A cross-bar, connecting the handle; 2, a wooden tooth, of which there are eight belonging to the implement, to be inserted at a a, &c., one foot apart, for marking out the ground. For this purpose, however, the marker mentioned below might be substituted. 3, The share or tooth formed like a coulter, and bottom piece without a mould board. It is laid with steel and made sharp. 4, Another objection was, that the horse would in- The wheel d, in halves, and the manner of applying jure the plants by treading on them; but the injury it to the axle e, by bolts and screws. To the under really sustained is found to be of little or no conse-side of the axis is nailed a piece of sheet iron or tin quence. Strawberry vines, when trodden down, to diminish the friction of the wheel. c, A brace will rise again like grass. The implement is regulated by one of the handles only, usually the left. The holder, walking behind the wheel, grasps the pin of the handle with his right hand, which is brought to rest against the thigh, a little below the hip, and the upright part with his left. The reason 10: holding it thus will be understood, if it be considered that the shares will run at the depth the wheels will allow, and no deeper, without the least attention on the part of the holder, and that nothing remains for him to do but to prevent the implement from tending to the right or left. If the shares run too deep, an addition is made to the circumference of the wheels by sheet iron bands or otherwise.

In estimating the effort required to govern the machine, it should be recollected that the slightest force nay change the direction of a moving body, such as would have no perceptible effect upon it in

fastened at one end by a nut to the bolt passing through one of the thills and cross-piece, and at the other to the axle.

The other implement, the Vine Layer, is almost indispensable for cultivating strawberry plants in drills. The plants are, at first, set in the drills, about two feet apart, in holes made for them by a sharpened stick. Should any fail to live, their places may be ascertained by the marking side of the implement, and again supplied at any time, although the original marks may have become obliterated.

When the vines have commenced running, and before the young plants have taken root, the vine layer is drawn lengthwise of the drills, each pair of pins including between them the several plants. The operation may be deferred so long as the surface of the ground is dry, for not a plant will strike

METHOD OF FASTENING HORSES.

87

its roots; while the larger and heavier the young mediate-consequently the vein should be left free, plants become, the more sure are they to remain or with no extra pressure. where the implement leaves them. Repeat the operation throughout the season, as often as necessary, always drawing the implement in the same direction. If a few plants that have become a little rooted in the drills are torn out occasionally, it is of little importance, it being the general good of the whole that we have in view. Continue the use of this implement until the plants are as thick as possible in the drills, and about two inches in width. The plants will thus cover the ground beneath them, and almost entirely prevent the growth of weeds and grass. To confine the rows afterwards to the required width, blades are set in the implement in place of the pins, to cut off the runners as they grow. The shares of the cultivator will do this, but not so accurately. To avoid injuring the leaves of the plants in the drills, the blades are formed by flattening out the lower end of a pin similar to the others, making it a little hooked, and so setting it, that the vines will readily slip on the cutting part.

As a horticultural implement this may answer not only for laying out strawberry beds and turning their runners, but at the same time as a marker for all sorts of beds.

1

DRILL MARKER. FIG. 22.

Description.—a a, Teeth or markers, set one foot apart. bb, Pairs of pins about 6 inches in length round and smooth, inserted on the opposite side to aa. These pins are two inches apart, and are set one foot apart, exactly opposite the markers on the other side. 2, Is a blade for cutting off superfluous runners. 3, One of the teeth or markers formed of wood, fastened to the head of the implement by an iron pin.

My plan is to have a ring in the back of the manger, about as high as the horse naturally holds his mouth, giving length for him to reach for food in all parts of the manger or box, and when lying down the head cannot touch the ground or bottom. The horse rarely stretches himself out and places his head flat, except when a hot sun is practising mesmerism upon him. The danger to be avoided is permitting the horse to stretch himself out in the stall, and to endeavor to roll. This he usually will after a drive, when warm, as his skin itches, and he rolls to allay the pricking. If the halter is long the chances are he gets cast, and, if in a bad position, the owner has the satisfaction the next day of helping him out of the stable, never to return. By tying to the front of the manger you cannot give length sufficient to enable the horse to reach food in all parts of the manger, without incurring the risk of his putting his head on the ground and attempting to roll. By tying to the back of, and across the manger, there is no risk of the horse getting his foot over the halter, a common accident when tied in the old way. S Y.

Oyster Bay, Queens Co., Jan., 1846.

We deem our correspondent's plan quite objectionable. If the halter be long enough to permit the horse to lie down, he may as well be tied to the front of the manger. If he be tied short to the back of the manger he cannot lie down at ease; his head must be quite elevated. When he lies down, no pressure will be brought on to the poll, but all on to the jowl. But pressure on the poll does not impede circulation; on the throat it does. If the halter be loose and the horse be tied short, pressure may, and most likely will, be made on the jugular vein, and the difficulty apprehended by our correspondent may occur. Now with a weight, when the horse is standing, no pressure is exerted, as the weight rests on the bottom of the manger. When he backs or lies down with his head on the floor, the weight is raised. A very light weight will keep the halter straight, and from under the horse's feet; and if light, the horse can lay his head down, and the head's mere weight will be enough to hold the

In this implement I make no claim to the invention of the markers, any further than their combination with the blades and pins; they are merely inci-weight suspended, and no muscular force need be dental, and the implement would be complete without them. PHILETUS PHILLIPS.

Middletown Point, N. J., Oct., 1845.

METHOD OF FASTENING HORSES.

exerted for that purpose. Our correspondent's plan prevents the horse from being halter cast, but it does not permit him to lie at ease. Our plan does both-and the weight only is held up by the head when the head is flat on the floor. Our experience is too long to permit us to doubt the goodness of our plan.

I OBSERVE in the January No. of your paper a sensible article upon the Stable, yet not in full accordance with my experience and opinion. You Horses will constantly, day and night, in sunny recommend tying the horse to the front of the stall, and in cloudy weather, fie flat down with the head passing the rope through a ring with a weight on on the ground or floor-give them a chance and the end. Many horses cannot endure a pressure on they will do it whenever they lie down. With a the head, back of the ears, as is observed in a case tired horse, it is absolutely necessary that he should of what is called fits or blind staggers, when pro- have full rest, to recover soon. If he can lie flat duced by having the check rein buckled tight, and down, he can rest more perfectly. The weight the horse warmed by a sharp drive, the veins be- should be so arranged that the halter rope is always come enlarged, and the pressure of the headstall straight, and should never press on the head except upon the vein, back of the ears, retards the circula- when the horse backs in the stall or lies flat down. tion, and the horse is in great distress, when by re- This at once prevents all chance of the horse being moving the check rein and headstall, relief is im-halter cast; and yet permits perfect rest.

FARM AND VILLA OF MR. DONALDSON.

To visit Blithewood, we landed at Barrytown, two miles below, and in approaching it, the gateBlithewood, the residence of Robert Donaldson, house or lodge (fig. 24) was the first object tha Esq., is situated in Dutchess County, on the Hudson attracted our attention. It is a hexagonal brick river, about a hundred miles above this city. It building, stuccoed and colored in imitation of freewas formerly the seat of General Armstrong, of stone; and strikingly placed on a terrace in the

midst of a group of forest trees, it is no less orna-
mental than useful. An excellent macadamized
road leads through the estate from the lodge to the
mansion.

Soon after entering the gate, we lose sight of all
boundary walls and fences, and pass the gardener's
house (fig. 25). This is in the Cottage Gothic style,
and with its pointed and projecting gables, and
miniature porch, covered with honeysuckles and
Boussault roses, it has a very neat and pretty
appearance.

Approaching the house, the road winds among
white pines, through which may be seen the grace-
ful slopes of the grounds, and the noble masses of
wood. The view which is disclosed, as you sweep
round to the river front, assures you that nature has
been lavish of her beauties here. Our readers will
get a very good idea of the view presented at this
point by looking at the frontispiece to Downing's
Landscape Gardening and Rural Architecture.

The Kaatskill mountains, on the opposite side of
the river, reach a height of nearly 4,000 feet, and
the range may be seen for fifty miles, clothed in the
enchanting hues that distance ever lends to bold
mountain scenery. The unusual width of the river
here the wooded isles-the promontories, with
their quiet bays the spires of the neighboring vil-
lages the Mountain House-all combine to form a
landscape of extraordinary attraction. The
scenery along the Sawkill, which forms the
southern boundary of this place, reminds one
of Trenton Falls. The stream descends in
cascades and rapids, 150 feet in a quarter of
a mile. A lake has been formed about half
way up its course, through the estate, the
placid waters of which contrast finely with
the rushing cataracts.

By an overshot water wheel which could
be made ornamental, and a simple hydraulic
machine, a portion of the water of this stream
might be forced up to the adjoining height,
and thence conducted to the house, garden,
stables, and cattle yard; it might also be
made to irrigate the grass land, and to form
fish ponds, and jets d'eau.

89

highly finished painting, by a Flemish Master; together with some portraits by Leslie, and some carefully made copies of well known pictures. But more striking than all these is the Landscape Window, a novelty introduced by Mr D., which quite took us by surprise. It is an oval plate glass, 3 by 4 feet, inserted in the wall, and surrounded by rich mouldings, in imitation of a picture frame. One feels that the natural beauties here revealed surpass even the glowing composition.

Walks lead away in the most alluring manner, for two miles, through the varying scenes of this place, along which rustic seats and pavilions are placed, at the best points of view. We give a view of one of them on the Sawkill (fig. 26).

The spring house, which is in course of erection, on the verge of the spacious lawn, will be very ornamental. The water flows through a water lily, into a sculptured shell, from the scolloped lip of which it falls as from a dripping tazza.

The garden, which is in the geometric style, though near the house, is concealed by hedges and shrubbery. The upper plateau is devoted to fruits and flowers, and the terraces are given up to vegetables. The green-house and fruit houses, 90 feet long, are so arranged as to present a very handsome architectural appearance. Besides a great variety of foreign grapes, the fig, apricot, nectarine, plum,

90

SCRAPS FROM MY NOTE BOOK.-No. 2.

perior soil for grass; they yet yield very heavy | foundation of the building over it, then lay up the crops of small grain. As an evidence of this, walls. The walls should be hollow, as they are although the season of '45 was very unfavorable to stronger than solid walls, and they save nearly oneoats, we here saw a lot which turned out 50 bushels third of the brick. The finishing plaster can then to the acre. Since acquiring possession of this place, be laid on inside without the expense of furrowing ten years since, Mr. D. has doubled the crops; and out and lathing, as hollow walls are always dry. though he has occasionally used alluvial mud (limed) The stucco is also more lasting and not likely to from the Sawkill, as a topdressing, and also plaster peel. The stucco can be painted a handsome fawn and ashes, and applied guano and poudrette to the color by dissolving burnt ochre in sweet milk. hoed crops, with satisfactory results; yet his main We saw here a most useful labor-saving machine, reliance for keeping up the fertility of his place, first introduced at Mr. William B. Astor's villa, for has been the barnyard. To this place all weeds, cleaning gravel walks. With this, a man, a boy, fallen leaves, butts of cornstalks, and offal of the and a horse, may do the work of twenty men. farm, are gathered, and through these the wash of We here annex an engraving of it. It is very simthe barnyard leaches. We think Mr. D. has gone ple in its construction, and costs about $10. through unnecessary trouble and expense in plowing in manure on the slopes and banks to get them into grass, instead of pasturing South-down sheep, which might easily be done in hurdles. The growth of the sheep would in a single season defray the expense of the arrangement, and the sod would be left by them, topdressed and fertilized in the simplest and most efficient manner. We have often seen flocks of sheep pastured for this purpose on the lawns of the finest estates in England.

The farm-buildings are judiciously placed near the centre of the land, and well constructed for sheltering the cattle and saving the manure. The boundary walls are well laid, and the expense and unsightliness of cross-fences have been greatly avoided by soiling most of the cattle.

In stock Mr. D. has confined his attention to

rearing a herd of milch cows, having with consi- MACHINE FOR CLEANING GRAVEL WALKS.-FIG. 27. derable care and expense selected the best milkers among the native cows that he could purchase, Mr. Downing has kindly permitted us to make which, with one or two Ayrshires, he has crossed casts of the illustrations above, from the cuts exewith his imported bull, Prince Albert, a noble Dur-cuted for his "Landscape Gardening and Rural ham selected for him with much judgment, by his Architecture," a work which we cannot too highly brother, Mr. James Donaldson of this city, when and too often recommend to the public.

in England in '41. Among the cows there is a most extraordinary animal, called Kaatskill, from her native mountains. She shows a dash of Holderness blood in her veins, though she is supposed to be a native. We conversed with her former owner, Mr. Hendricks of Red Hook, who assured us, that this cow had, while in his possession, given 38 quarts of milk per day, on grass-feed alone; and had made 18 1-2 lbs. butter in one week. On two of the days the butter weighed 6 1-2 lbs., and had not a spell of unusually hot weather ensued. which prevented her from feeding well, she would doubtfess have made 22 lbs. of butter in a single week. This cow received the first prize of the New York State Ag. Society, at their annual show of 1844, as the best dairy cow exhibited.

We could say much more of Blithewood; but should any of our readers chance to visit it, they will feel how inadequate words are to convey an idea of its varied scenes, some of which are worthy the pencil of Ruysdael or Claude.

SCRAPS FROM MY NOTE BOOK.-No. 2. The Cherokee Rose Hedge.-South of Natchez, for miles, I rode between continuous lines of hedges of the " Cherokee, or nondescript rose," then, March 1st, in full bloom, of pure white fragrant flowers, single, with bright yellow centres, and rich bright green foliage, that gave the whole a most lovely appearance; but the beauty of the scene was greatly marred by the fact that blossoms and foliage could not disguise that the whole was in a most slovenly state of keeping; for the long straggling runners have grown up some ten feet high, and bend over upon each side, till the fence is often 25 or 30 feet wide, and owing to the hardness and sharpness of the briars, is as impenetrable as a stone wall for all kinds of stock, negroes included.

Dr. Phillips and Mr. Affleck, who were my travelling companions, assured me that a good fence could be made in four years from the cuttings of this plant, and that by proper attention every year, it can be kept within reasonable bounds. I did not, however, see an instance where it was. I saw many places where the runners had climbed up some convénient tree at least thirty feet.

Stucco. We thought the Stucco used by Mr. D. in his buildings of a superior kind, and copied his recipe for making it. Take pure beach sand, and add as much Thomaston lime as it will take up, then sufficient hydraulic cement to make it set, say To get a fence started is a very easy matter, as it about one-fifth of the whole mixture of sand and is only to take those long runners and cut them up lime. To prevent the cement attracting moisture, with a hatchet on a block, into slips about a foot put a strip of sheet lead or zinc as wide as the long, and lay these in a furrow, with one end out,