108 THE CUTTER, THE COULTER, AND THE LOCK-COULTER. .-ETC. THE CUTTER, THE COULTER, AND THE LOCK-COULTER. THESE terms are so often used as synonymous, we insert three cuts of plows for the purpose of explaining them, and showing the difference between each. The Cutter, in fig. 30, is of wrought iron, edged with steel of the best quality. It passes through a mortice in the centre of the beam, where it is fastened by an iron clamp, and reaches nearly down to the point of the share. It can be raised or lowered at pleasure, or be taken out of the beam entirely. It is also clasped on the side of the beam when required. The Coulter, in fig. 31, is cast on to the point of the plow-share, and thus forms a part of it. The Lock-Coulter, in fig 32, is also made of wrought iron, steeledged in Eagle No. 2, and sizes larger having them; in Eagle No. 1 it is made of cast iron. It passes through the beam, and is made fast with a nut and screw, or key, and locks through the point and mould-board where they join. This gives it strength, and makes the plow suitable to be used among rocks, and especially the roots of newly-cleared land; for the lockcoulter cannot be turned on one side or forced out of its place, but will instantly sever roots of an inch or two diameter, and thus enable the plow to turn the furrow smoothly and with great ease. The lockcoulter can be taken out at pleasure In fig. 32, is affixed, when required, a sharp steel-edged share or point, cutting of Guano, Lime, Plaster, Bone-dust, and other ma very wide, and a reversed or drag cutter, for the nures. Also a choice list of Fruit Trees, with direcpurpose of plowing and completely turning over tions for planting out and culture. Also a descripthe surface of wet meadows when reclaimed by tion of the best breeds of domestic animals, and the ditching. A crane clevis is attached to the end of best, time and manner of transporting them South. the beam to pull by, which enables the off horse to By A. B. Allen. New York Agricultural Warehouse, keep clear of the miry open furrow, so very fatigu- 187 Water Street. This is an octavo pamphlet of ing to him, and tread on the unbroken ground as 80 pages, containing upwards of one hundred exwell as the near horse; thus making it compara-planatory Illustrations, which we have published tively easy work for the team, and obviating the great objection to breaking up wet meadows or swampy ground. The newly invented dial-clevis and draught-rod, as seen in figs. 30 and 31, will also enable the off horse to tread on solid ground in plowing wet meadows, nearly as well as the craneclevis, and run close alongside of a fence or ditch. This would be an admirable plow for the rice lands on the Mississippi, and for the prairie lands of the West. When the meadow fixtures are removed, and the original point or share replaced, the plow is adapted to the rugged upland soils, thus answering the double purpose of an upland and meadow plow. DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE of Horticultural and Agricultural Implements and Tools, and Field and Garden Seeds; with brief directions for Planting, Sowing, and Culture; and rules for the application for the purpose of answering questions daily addressed us by our customers. It can be had gratis on application, post-paid. The title page of this work sufficiently explains its nature, and renders any further notice of it unnecessary on our part. MUSTARD AS A GARDEN AND FIELD CROP.The white and broad leaf kinds are excellent for salad or greens. They should be sown very early in the spring, in a rich warm soil, in shallow drills, ten inches apart, and kept clean from weeds. After the crop is off, the ground may be planted with cucumbers for pickling, or used for a succession of salad or radishes. Mustard is now cultivated extensively as a field crop, by sowing it broadcast. Mow it when ripe, and cure it like grain or hay, and thresh out the seed in a grain thresher. It yields from ten to fifteen bushels per acre, worth $3 to $4 per bushel. It is a great exhauster of the AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION, ETC. land, and requires a rich soil. plowed in green, to enrich the land. 109 It is sometimes and the encouragement of the Government or States to make the production of silk, raw and manufactured, a vast branch of industry. The requisite AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. skill and knowledge we now possess. To the THE monthly meeting was held on the 4th of last agriculturist it is of vast importance. Our country month at their rooms in the University, the Hon. can produce cocoons unlimitedly, and find in Luther Bradish, President, in the chair. Europe a consumer, without a rival. England The committee appointed at the February meet-pays annually to France and Italy, $30,000,000 ing, to procure a proper place for the meeting of for raw or reeled silk to manufacture. America the Association, reported that they had made a con- may monopolise the whole of this, and add vast tract with the Historical Society, for the use of wealth to our country. Not only so, but she may their rooms in the University, at an annual rent of supply all Germany with raw silk for their manu$150, subject to the approval of the Association. factures. Time will bring all this about; but will The report was adopted. This contract is for the not our farmers and planters hasten the good work? year ending March, 1847, but may be terminated at Mr. Clark then offered a resolution, which was any time at the pleasure of the Association. adopted, for the appointment of a committee to consider and report upon the expediency of action on the part of the Association, in devising and procuring the establishment of a silk manufactory in the vicinity of New York. Mr. Edward Clark read a paper on the subjects of the Mulberry and the Silk Culture of the United States. His paper is too long for publication, and does not admit of analysis. He was followed by Mr. Van Epps, who gave some information as to Dr. Gardner then read a paper on the proper rotathe silk culture of the country. He is the manager tion of crops. He advised the following course, of a large silk manufacture now being established viz.: 1, roots (turnips, carrots, parsnips, &c.), or at Washington, D.C., by Mr. Van Ness. He gave a corn; 2, oats; 3, clover; 4, wheat; 5, beans, or condensed statement of the statistics contained in potatoes; 6, clover; 7, wheat. Some discussion the reports of the Commissioner of Patents. It ap-followed the reading of the paper, in which Mr. pears that the mulberry is cultivated and cocoons Maxwell, Mr. Veeder, and Prof. Mason, took part. produced in every State in the Union. The mass of cocoons, however, is produced in the following States. Maine..... 1840. 1844. New York. 1,735 " 6,340 5,200 33,110 Delaware... 4,158 Prof. Mason read a letter from Mr. G. Wilkinson, of Dutchess Co., stating that he proposed the opening of an Agricultural School in Dutchess Co., New York, and asking the favorable consideration of the Association. The matter was referred to a committee, consisting of Prof. Mason, Mr. J. F. Sheaf, and Dr. Underhill. Mr. Gardner G. Howland, through Mr. Pell, tendered to the Association the use of his fine farm of 300 acres, with all his farm stock, &c., at Flushing, L. I., for five years, free of charge, for the purpose of establishing an Agricultural School, and an experimental farm. Mr. P. stated that the farm last year produced 300 tons of hay; is in excellent condition, and may be made highly productive at once; and furnishes the requisite capital to commence such an institution as has been for a long time deemed necessary. "6 5,810 4,250" 31,500 A vote of thanks to Mr. Howland was passed, and the following committee appointed on his noble land, Chancellor McCoun, S. Knapp, A. P. Halsey, gift and project, viz. : Hon. L. Bradish, G. G. HowA. H Stevens, H. Maxwell, J. F. Sheafe, A Stevens, S. T. Jones, J. B. Parsons, and R. L. Pell Mr. Pell also announced Mr. Sheafe as a subscriber to the fund for the importation of Alpacas to the amount of $500; and letters were read from Mr. D. D. Campbell, of Schenectady, N. Y., зubscribing $600; and from Dr. Wm. Ferrell, of Sparta, Geo., subscribing $300 for the same purpose About 371,000 lbs, in 1844, equal to 30,000 bushels, which would employ 25 reels for six months. The amounts for 1840 are actual, being taken from the census of that year; those of 1844 are from the report of Mr. Ellsworth, Commissioner, who procured his information through the facilities and means of the patent department. Mr. Van Epps stated that the amount of 1844 was over-rated by the Commissioner; but that there had been a very large increase in the four years. Already, the production of cocoons exceeds the power of the reeling THE SUN FLOWER.-This plant should be cultiestablishments to reel it. The want of capital is vated much more than it is at present, in rich soils. the great difficulty. The most of the cocoons pro- It yields a large quantity of seed per acre, and it is duced in the north are reeled by the producers, and especially valuable for fatting poultry, making the made into sewing silk and fabrics by themselves; flesh exceedingly sweet and delicate. It is also exthose of the South are largely sent North, for reel-cellent food for cattle, more especially when ground ing. It is admitted, that the raw silk of America up with a mixture of other grain. It is said that is superior to any produced in Europe. Mr. Van from 30 to 40 lbs. of oil can be extracted from 100 Epps stated that nothing now was needed but the lbs. of seed, and that it brings a good price. The investment of capital, the patronage of the public, leaves make good cigars. 110 ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOOL.-A LEAF FROM A FARMER'S JOURNAL. ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOOL. and more than half of the manure, as deep as it ENCLOSED is a sample of wool taken by myself could be, with Messrs. Ruggles, Nourse & Mason's twenty or thirty years since, from a pelt which had large size two-horse plow. The balance of mabeen neglected, and the moths had eaten most of the nure was plowed in May 24th, when we raked the wool from the skin. It was said the sheep was ground as it was plowed. I seldom harrow root killed beyond the Rocky Mountains, by a company ground, preferring to plow deep, if stubble, in the in the employ of John Jacob Astor, Esq. You will fall; if not, plow deep in the spring, as early as cirperceive jar or hair mixed with the wool, which, if cumstances admit. Then, after corn planting, plow I rightly recollect, stood out prominently beyond again, but not deep, having hands enough to rake the wool, and might have been separated. The the ground with common hay rakes, as it is plowed; wool you will find very much like cotton. The this is easily done by back furrowing, as you can sample sent has been injured by moths. If sheep of this description could be obtained and domesticated, it might be an advantage to our manufacturers as well as the agriculturists. I think the introduction of the Alpaca will add to our agricultural amusements at least, and that they can be introduced at less risk and less expense by driving them from Peru to Panama, or some other place in the Pacific, and then across to the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico. H. WATSON. East Windsor, Ct., Feb. 23, 1846. A LEAF FROM A FARMER'S LEDGER. Dr. I then rake the stones and other obstructions to the sowing machine, into the furrows. I this year planted later than usual, but prefer earlier planting, that the crop may be more out of the way of haying. have charged $6.25 for labor of haying hands, and presume the amount covers the cost of their labor. Haying, as you are aware, is quite an important matter with me; I then have from fifteen to twenty hands, and occasionally they work an hour or two weeding or hoeing. My carrot crop this year was not equal to that of the year before, probably one-fourth less. The The wool enclosed by our correspondent is very yield, as you see, is not large; the quantity mensoft, and of a medium quality. We wish some one tioned in the account being the product of an acre. would act upon his hint, and undertake the domes-The beets came up very badly; but, by transplanttication of the Rocky Mountain sheep. Their ing, the yield was about 1,396 bushels per acre: I per bushel. The 1st day of July I fleeces and forms might be greatly improved by reckon 40 lbs. proper care, and the size increased; and there is no found the beets had come up in bunches-not more telling what utility rearing a good flock of them than one-half the ground being seeded. On the 3d, it threatened rain, we then transplanted nearly onemight lead to. half of the crop. At harvest, the transplanted roots were equal to the others; they bear transplanting almost as well as cabbages. The carrots I planted in rows 16 inches apart, the beets 20 inches. Would it not be better to plant 27 to 30 inches apart, and use a cultivator instead of a hoe? [Yes; or 36 inches apart is yet better. ED.] In harvesting carrots, I have plowed them out, by letting the land side the plow run next to the roots, and crowd then into the open furrows; but the best way is to dig them with a spade. I generally begin early in October to dig them, digging two or three cart loads in the morning, and carting them into the barn in the afternoon; top them in the evening, and feed the tops to the cattle next day. They are very fond of them, and what they leave will do for litter; then let them go into the barn cellar for the hogs to work over. I fed, the year before last, several hundred bushels of carrots to my hogs. They answer very Cr. well to begin on, as they come in early, when far105 60 mers are generally short of feed for horses and ❝ 27,930 lbs. beets, a 30 c. p. cwt. or $6 p. ton..83 79 hogs. They may do to fatten other people's hogs, แ April 20. To 70 loads of night soil compost, .....13 50 "Seed, marketing, &c.. ........6 00 a $100 per acre, a 6 per cent.. Dec. 30. Crop account to balance.... By one half of manure, as above... ...9 00 ..88 77 $224 39 $35 00 $224 39 but I shall not try them again, for I experimented on them till I came to the conclusion that it was like feeding them with sawdust and meal, the more meal you mix with the sawdust the better the hogs fatten; but for cattle and horses they are excellent food. The night soil compost charged above was made of night soil, of which I get in the spring and fall 10 to 12 cords per day. This, for the upland, is composted with muck, adding half a bushel or a My horses are worked as regularly as a dray-team bushel of ground plaster to each load of 5 or 6 feet. in the city. Nothing but bad weather keeps them I have charged it at one dollar per two-horse cart in the stable. If there is no work at home, they go load, which from my accounts appears to be the to the beach or some other place, for manure; there cost of it on the field. It is carted on to the land in is always something to pick up, that when seasoned the winter, or early in the spring, as opportunity offers, taking care to cover the piles in the fall with sea-weed, to prevent their freezing hard. On the 20th of April I plowed in the corn stubble, under the barn proves good manure. My experience has proved to me that it is the most economical to have help enough for common farm work, and to let the teamster keep the team moving. From THE ROW CULTURE FOR WHEAT. October to March, I feed half a bushel of carrots and three quarts of cob-meal to each horse daily. They keep in good flesh, and I think they are better than if fed on grain alone, or rather, if the value of the carrots was given in grain. 111 There are other considerations of importance to the farmer in root crops. The extra quantity of manure and the fine condition they leave the land in for any other crop, I consider carrots and sugar-ture was strictly Tullian; a good furrow was beets among the most profitable crops that I grow. Lynn, Mass., Feb., 1846. J. H. C. THE ROW CULTURE FOR WHEAT. In the last volume of the Agriculturist, it is recommended that farmers should sow wheat in rows; and it has been a matter of astonishment to me that the agricultural press has not urged this subject more, and that farmers have not made experiments at least, and reported progress. Although have been a subscriber to the Genesee Farmer from its commencement, and to the Cultivator since the union of the two, and also to your paper since its commencement, yet I have not seen in them as much on this subject as would fill one side of this sheet (a). health interposes to prevent much experimenting, or the adoption of new and unusual methods. Many years since in England, I put in a field of six acres of wheat (a clean fallow, clay land, and rather poor) on the plan practised by Tull. It was plowed into ridges from 4 to 5 feet wide, and two rows of wheat 8 or 9 inches apart, drilled as near as possible in the top of each ridge. The after culplowed from the rows of wheat before winter, and plowed back to the wheat in the spring, when the narrow spaces were hoed by hand, and all weeds pulled out; two more furrows were plowed from the middle of the alleys towards the wheat, when it was from one to two feet high. The crop was kept by itself, and yielded 32 bushels per acre of the very primest wheat-our usual crops were from 15 to 40 bushels per acre. Perhaps there may not be much advantage in this wide system of wheat, except we wish to cultivate it for many years in succession. I find by referring to Tull's book, that his sixth crop was better than any of its predecessors on the same land, without manure of any kind! and I was informed that, in a later edition of his book, published a little before his death, it was I will relate, as briefly as I can, what experience mentioned that he had the thirteenth crop growing I have had on the subject. Three years last Sep-on the same land without dung or summer fallow, tember, I left a few rods square unsown, in the middle of a twenty acre lot of clean summer fallow, the harrows passing over it two or three times while harrowing the rest of the field; I then immediately drew little drills with a hoe, 12 or 15 inches apart, and sowed wheat in them, covering it up with the hoe. When the ground became sufficiently dry in the spring, I went to the patch with my hoe, and hoed the spaces well, once over, pulling out such weeds in the rows of wheat as were likely to prove injurious. On one other occasion, when the wheat was knee high, I pulled out a few more weeds from the rows. When the wheat was ripe, I reaped the drilled patch by itself, and an equal space of ground of the sowed wheat adjoining; the two lots were threshed separately, cleaned, and weighed, and although I have not the note of the exact amount of wheat, quantity of ground, &c., yet I perfectly well remember that the result was in favor of the drilled wheat, 10 bushels per acre, it being at the rate of nearly 37, and the sowed wheat, 27 bushels per acre. I was surprised at this result, as the straw was longest and the sheaves largest on the sowed part. The heads, however, on the drilled part, were larger, the straw stouter and heavier, and the grain plumper. during the whole 13 years, and that it was the most promising crop of the whole thirteen! I do not know the number of bushels per acre raised by Tull; he does, however, incidentally mention 6 quarters (48 bushels) per acre as one of his crops. If I understand Tull, his opinion was that land naturally suited for any crop, and once put into prime order for producing that crop, will continue to produce good crops till the world's end, provided the crop is so planted that half the land can be tilled while it is growing, the tilled half being more enriched by imbibing the fertilizing particles in the dews and rains, than the other half is impoverished by the crop, so that the land grows richer every year. If this is true, the knowledge of it is of immense value, and if false, it is time that its falsehood should be shown by actual experiments. Its falsehood, in theory, has often enough been shown of late, but nothing is proved by closet theories till carried out in practice. Auburn, Feb., 1846. A SUBSCRIBER. (a) If our Correspondent will look over the back numbers of the Agriculturist again, he will find frequent recommendations (short to be sure) there to sow wheat in drills, particularly in Vol. 4, page A similar experiment on a few square rods of 240. We should have written more on this subground was tried the following year, but from care-ject, had not two of our friends, who are large lessness no calculation was made. The drilled growers of wheat, promised us some articles. wheat, however, was kept separate, and was at the The principal objection we have heard to drill sowrate of 38 bushels per acre; it had the advantage of ing in this country is, that it tillers out much more growing on the richest part of the field. This, than when sown broadcast. We cannot understand however, was not the case in the experiment of the how this should be, if the drills are not over one year before. These two small experiments are all foot apart; and if it does tiller out more, will it not that I have made in drilling grain, during more than produce a greater crop, provided the soil has the 20 years that I have been engaged in agriculture in elements in it to form a due proportion of grain America. The want of a drilling machine, and the to straw? We shall be glad to hear from expresence of stumps and stones, have rendered it dif- perienced wheat growers on this subject. We ficult to do much at it; and now that these obsta-must confess that we are greatly in favor of drilling cles, except the first, are no longer felt, loss of in wheat as well as most other grain crops. RAMBOUILLET MERINOS. Did he ever see and ex Again, your correspondent says: "Like the IN the February No. of the Agriculturist, 1 have Rambouillets, these sheep are of large and fine carread some very interesting statements respecting the case, but unlike them, are short in the leg, and the excellent flock of sheep owned by Mr. H. S. Ran- ends of the wool are usually coated with a dark dall, of Cortlandville, N.Y., over the signature of L. gum. It is barely tipped with gum, say for oneThe whole bears internal evidence of the produc-eighth of an inch. Within that and to the skin, the tion of a fair and high-minded writer, who would wool is a glossy white, and freer from hard gum scorn an act of injustice. I honor the head and the than the Rambouillet." heart of the writer, and readily acquit him of the amine my flock of Rambouillets, and rigidly comcharge of wrong intention. I have often heard of pare it with our native Merinos? If not, then has the sheep of Mr. Randall, and have no doubt they he ever seen any other thorough-bred Rambouillets? are a flock well established, and deserving commenI suspect he has not; for if he had, he would not dation. have represented them as "long-legged sheep," and having "hard gum" in the fleece, when in truth they are sheep of about medium length of leg, and are entirely without gum in the fleece. In establishing the claims of a good flock of sheep, it is a common method to compare them with some flock of acknowledged merit. This is all well, provided no injustice is done to the one, in I should not have said thus much, had I not found order to render the comparison between the two that the communication of L. would tend to create partial and one-sided. But injustice is sometimes the impression that the Rambouillet sheep are what done inadvertently, and so I apprehend in this case, they are not, and that the public mind might be misin the references which are made to the Ram-led. I am largely the owner of American Merino bouillets. sheep, of a very similar character to Mr. Randall's, I have not owned the Rambouillet flock long as, I suppose, heavy shearers, and I am free to say, enough to give any statements in regard to weight that I consider the Rambouillet as far superior to any and quality of fleece after shearing, from my own Paular, Escurial, Guadaloupe, or other variety of observation, and your correspondent implies that American Merinos, while I at the same time honestly such statements have never been made by any one. believe and openly maintain, that we have some If he will look into Vol. 2, page 100, of the Agri- very valuable American Merino flocks. Mr.R.'s flock culturist, he will find statements made in this regard is doubtless among the number; and he deserves by the Editor himself. great credit for the spirit and liberality which he has Then as to strength of fibre of Mr. Randall's manifested in establishing it. I am a friend to imsheep, as compared with Mr. Collins' Grandee, as-provement wherever I see it, and I hope I have a certained by Dr. Emmons, the State Geologist, your I find it. I am not in competition with any man, in mind large enough to acknowledge merit wherever correspondent says: "The wool of Mr. R.'s prize ram decidedly exceeded that of Grandee-the best any of my pursuits. My husbandry operations are buck of the Rambouillet importation; and supported secondary matters altogether, which I pursue at my a greater weight, or, in other words, was stronger leisure for my own relaxation from study, the in proportion to its diameter. It as far exceeded benefit of my family and the public good. various rams of early importation." I have merely to add, that the only true way of I should like to ask your correspondent how long testing the quantity and quality of fleece wool, is since the specimen from Grandee was shorn; for he by thorough cleansing by a good manufacturer, and has been dead for a considerable time, and I believe the price he will pay for it when it is thus prepared was last shorn in the summer of 1842. How much for working. For my own part, I am determined had that specimen lost of its strength by age, repeated to test the value of my Rambouillet buck, Grandee, handling and pulling, and the wear and tear of being and some of the Rambouillet ewes in this way, side carried in some wallet in some man's pocket, till by side with my heavy shearing Merinos, and the half its original strength probably was gone? Per- public shall have the result and judge for themhaps he can tell us how much allowance should be selves. made for this, and the operation of similar causes. I invite Mr. Randall, and any others disposed to How was the exact diameter of each specimen as- try it, to submit their best buck's and ewe's fleeces certained? by guess-work, by measurement, or by to the same test, and let the public know how they counting the number of fibres constituting the cord come out. I give this invitation to all wool-growto be broken by weights? Dr. Emmons is doubt-ers, not as a banter, but in order that in this less a good geologist, and meant to make a fair trial great interest we may find out where we are. This of these samples; but how much does he know is a test that will be perfectly fair, and to which about wool and sheep? Again, where are those none can object, and we shall then know whether "various" rams to be found" of early importa- we are raising wool or not; and whether we have tions," against which the strength of fibre of Mr. R.'s good cause to complain of the low prices which the sheep was tried? I was not aware that there were manufacturer is disposed to give for our "heavy such Rambouillets, or even the wool of such in the fleeces." L. G. BINGHAM. country. If the trial was with samples of wool Williston, Vt., Feb. 13, 1846. which had been preserved since the early importations, it would seem to be desirable that it should be known how old they were, in order to know how much the experiments proved. I must think the tests in these cases very, very imperfect, from the nature of things, P.S. It may not be improper to add, that in the judgment of most men who examine the Rambouillet flock, they will average five pounds per head of clean-washed wool, of one year's growth, and I hope to increase their clip beyond this hereafter. |