one in question is thriving and appears to be able to endure the severity We invite communications on this interesting subject, from any of our readers who may be acquainted with the animal, its habits, or the manufacture of its wool. that some of your correspondents do not sign their real names to what ALLEN'S THRASHING MACHINE. It always affords us pleasure to notice the inventions of genius, parTHE FLEECE A GREATER OBJECT THAN THE CARCASS ticularly when they are calculated to aid and abridge the labor of the JESSE BUEL, Esq.-Dear Sir-In the December number of the "Cul-farmer. The machine described below is of this description, as we are tivator" I noticed an article on sheep husbandry, over the signature of satisfied from a thorough trial of it on our premises. It deserves attention, "A Subscriber"; and as the writer thereof solicits an argument, and 1. From the small space it occupies.-The thresher is a cube of two correction, permit me to make a few remarks on the subject. I differ with him when he says; "that the carcass should be the most feet square, that is, it is two feet broad, two long, and two high. The profitable"-for the following reason: the price of mutton is generally whole machine, including the horse power, may be stowed in a light so low, that the sheep masters would make but small profits from their wagon, and transported by a single horse, if necessary. flocks should they direct their attention mainly to that object, because the price of mutton, for the last ten years, has not averaged exceeding two cents per pound, to the farmer; while in England, during the same period of time, it has been about ten cents. There they can make mutton their principal object of raising sheep; in this country it must principally be for their wool. I have known mutton sold in this town Hoosick, at 1 cts. per pound by the quarter; and it is a well know fact, that thousands of thousands of sheep are annually killed, for the sake of their pelts, the carcasses tried to obtain the tallow, and the meat fed to the swine? Now, should our wool-growers generally change their fine for coarse sheep, and go to raising for the sake of their mutton, principally, I ask, what would their profits be, as long as mutton is so low? Would not the price be still further reduced? Coarse wool is brought into into this country in great quantities, free of duty; should our farmers therefore enter into the raising of coarse sheep, their wool would be extremely low, and our manufacturers be obliged to draw from foreign|| countries fine wool to supply three factories, whereby a great amount of money would yearly go out of the country. It is useless for me to tell you, that by far the greatest quantity of wool manufactured in this country belongs to the finer qualities. 2. From the small power required to propel it—one horse being able The journal of the thrashing cylinder turns upon a friction roller, which to drive it, and only two horses being required under any circumstances. latter revolves in an iron box or case filled with oil, which avoids all danger from friction, and renders this part of the machine durable. 3. From its price-being from 75 to $100, including horse power. It does its work well, and as fast as any machine we have seen in operation. The machines are built by Penton & Benedict, Saratoga Spa, Thomas Eastbrook, Ballston Spa, and C. F. Buckley, Milton, The writer asserts that the quality of the mutton of the Saxony and merino, is far inferior to that of coarse sheep. I wish he had told us his reasons why it is so! Ulster county. STRAW CUTTER. Mr. BUEL-Sir-I discover in your valuable paper for November, some few strictures from Mr. John Fry, on Mr. Greene's straw cutter. Now Mr. Greene and Mr. Fry are both strangers to me, of course I have no partiality for or against either of them-only my name is Fair Play-and I must say, I think your friend Fry's complaint against Mr. Greene's improvement, not cutting the feed short enough to suit him, cannot be a very serious one to those who have so highly recommended it, nor can it be in reality to the principle of the machine when it is considered that it can be obviated by adding more knives or cutters to the cylinder. I know it may be said this would give the cutters a tendency to choke up in their operation; but this can be obviated by lengthNow I assert, that it is equal if not supe-ening the cutters, and lessening their projection from the cylinder: rior, for they being smaller, and more delicately constituted animals, or a light spring may be introdued between the cutters, that will recede the grain of the meat is finer, which in my opinion makes the quality while the straw is being cut, and pressed on the wooden cylinder and equal, if not superior, to that of coarse sheep. It is true, their car return as the roller leaves it, thereby liberating the cut straw from be cass is lighter, but, let me ask, do not the large coarse sheep require tween the knives. And as Mr. Greene would no doubt perfer our sugmore sustenance? I assert that they do! Yet there may be locations gesting some improvement on his machine, (where no new principle is —for instance near large market places-where coarse woolled sheep embraced,) to our finding fault with what has been done, I will say if are as profitable-perhaps more so than the fine woolled; but remote the machine was made to receive double width of straw on the feeding from such places, the expense of driving the mutton to market, would apron, and the cutters were secured more permanently to their place, nearly, if not quite, consume the profits. Will your correspondent fa- (by the heads that confine them being made much heavier,) it would vor the public with a statement, how much provender the_Bakewell, be a great acquisition to its use for almost any farmer. With these Hampshire Down and South Down sheep daily require? He may, if few remarks, I leave Mr. Greene's improvemnet; which (as it is) I conhe pleases, reduce the quantity to hay, as that is the standard by which sider a cheap and ingenious one, and one that has, perhaps, gained we generally calculate the expense of keeping sheep. greater celebrity for the time it has been in operation than any one that has preceded it. The writer is evidently mistaken, when he says: "they generally keep their wether sheep five or six years, as they produce the greatest quantity and the finest quality"-"they frequently lose them in consequence of their weak constitution, and their inability to stand the hard winters." I agree with him that they cut the largest quantity of wool, but beg leave to say, that but very few wethers are kept to that age not one in ten, take country through; they generally are turned off, at three and four years old. "A Subscriber" must have but limited practical experience when he says: "they frequently lose them in consequence of their weak constitution, and their inability to stand the hard winter." Why has a wether, at the age of six, a weaker constitution than a ewe which partially exhausts her strength by raising a lamb yearly, while a wether's strength is not exhausted at all?-for which reason, I should think, they could stand the hard winters better. I have now a ewe in my flock, originally imported from Saxony, twelve years old, and from which I have raised 10 lambs, and if nothing extraordinary happens to her, I expect to raise one more from her next spring. She has not a tooth in her head, and yet is in good condition. I cannot think that your correspondent was really in earnest, when he says, "that the wethers produce the finest wool." I am a purchaser, as well as a grower of wool, and have found that wethers' fleeces are always coarser than ewes' fleeces. Every practical wool-grower will concur with me. In conclusion, I may be permitted to say, that it is matter of regret, * I hereby extend my challenge, which some time since I gave to brother "R," to your correspondent, "A Subscriber"- that he may procure the best sample of Bakewell, Hampshire Down and South Down mutton, he can find, and I will meet him with a sample of Saxony or Merino. Both shall be cooked in the same manner; we will select one or more of the most accomplished connoisseurs in good eating, and I will rest the point on their decision. As to Mr. Fry's recommendation of another invention which for aught we know, (except through Mr. Fry,) is now in embryo, but is to be brought out by his English friend, and christened the "Firth Patent Straw Cutter," appears rather premature, and I cannot help thinking that Mr. Fry and his friends may possibly, (as the saying is) be counting without their host, or offering ducks before they are catched, or counting chickens before they are hatched. FAIR PLAY. New-Lebanon, Dec. 22, 1836. T Mr. BUEL, Dear Sir,-Being a subscriber to your valuable publication, and interested in all that concerns farmers generally take the liberty of addressing a few lines to you, chiefly to dissent from some of the positions taken by a subscriber-in the last No. of the Cultivator on sheep and sheep husbandry. A Subscriber, I perceive, is an advə cate for breeding coarse woolled sheep, because he thinks their carcass better for mutton. I admit, that there are growers of Saxony and me rino wool, who aim at raising fine wool, at the expense of quantity, and also of the size and form of the animal. These are doing them. selves and breeders of good fine sheep great injustice by bringing them generally into disrepute. Perhaps some farmers so near market, tha they can take all the advantage to be derived from their location t dispose of their lambs and mutton, at high prices, can breed the Sout Down or Bakewells to the most advantage, but that farmers generally can do so I do not believe, and for my reasons for this belief, I wil state what I know of the Saxony and merino sheep, having been breeder of them for nearly ten years, and also living in a communit of wool growers, some of whom have been engaged in it twice tha length of time. Our flocks of Saxony or merinos cut from 3 to 4 pounds per head-this bringing from 68 to 80 cents per pound, netts = tain its hold firmer and longer; yet I generally find when the timothy much or more to the grower as any flock of Bakewells in my knowledge. || it) and white clover, much more easily than herd grass, which will reOur grass fed wethers bring from 3 to 4 dolls. per head, the culls from our ewes about the same; and our lambs from 2 to 3 dolls. per head. I doubt whether a Subscriber knows a flock of Bakewells (which he thinks the best) for which he can say as much. A Subscriber says they, the Saxons and merinos, frequently die, from their inability to stand our hard winters. In reply to this I would say, that our best shepherds even in our last hard winter did not lose more than one and two from a hundred. I agree with a Subscriber perfectly in urging breeders to procure well bred bucks. I know some farmers who breed from ill shaped, long, bare legged, bare faced bucks that will not cut more than 2 lbs. of wool, and only, because they can obtain them at a small price. Such farmers I think must breed without pleasure or profit. A Subscriber says, that two breeds cannot be kept distinct on one farm; I believe he is mistaken, for I am acquainted with a flock of merinos and Bakewells kept so, the breeder of which informed me he found no difficulty in keeping them so-that his merinos cut as much wool as his Bakewells, and that the average weight of his whole flock was 4 lbs. He has one merino buck that cuts 83 lbs. of washed wool. In conclusion, I wish to urge upon farmers the necessity of raising vegetables for their stock. My farm horses eat the ruta baga with great avidity, and thrive remarkably well on them, and when cut up with a machine (which we have) and mixed with cut hay or straw, stock may be kept with one half the expense, that they usually are. I am yours respectfully, A WOOL GROWER. VEGETABLE CUTTER. Mr. BUEL, Much attention has been paid for the last few years to the culture of roots for feeding stock, &c. At first some difficulty occurred in sowing the seed, until the drill was introduced which diminished the labor to a pastime. Where a large stock was fed, much time and labor was spent in slic ing or cutting the roots suitable for feeding. At first the spade, snick and chopper were brought into requisition, but did not operate satisfactorily. Other machines have since been tried, such as the grater and horizontal knives, operated by a lever; but "Melishe's Vegetable Cut ter" bids fair to eclipse the whole. It consists of a box seventeen and a half inches long, twenty two inches wide, and about four feet high, which answers for a hopper above and a receiver below. Near the centre of the box is a frame bearing a circular plate, or wheel, of cast iron, mounted on a horizontal axis, to which the crank is attached. This wheel, carries three knives or cut ters, set parallel to the face of the plate, and radiating from the centre. The vegetables press against the knives, and their own weight is sufficient to keep them within the stroke of the knife. The following statement is from a gentleman who has had one of these machines in operation for sometime, and recommends them highly. I have seen one in operation-it sliced potatoes with great ease and rapidity. "I have had one of 'Melishe's Potato Cutters' in use, and consider it one of the most useful machines ever invented, and think no farmer, who values the lives of his cattle, or his own interest, should be with out one. They will cut more potatoes into thin slices in one hour, than a man could cut with a knife in two days. I find that potatoes cut in this machine will boil soft in about half the time of whole ones, thereby making a great saving of fuel and labor. The machine cuts potatoes, turnips, cabbage stumps, (squashes and pumpkins when cut into quarters with a spade,) with the same facility and ease that it does pota. toes." The above notice is given to answer the many queries made," which is the best implement or machine used for cutting or slicing vegetables for feeding stock, &c.? and where can they be had and at what price?" A few of these machines are now for sale at the Agricultural Ware house of Wm. Thorburn, No. 317 North Market-street, Albany-price $10. C. N. BEMENT. I observed in No. 4 of the current vol. of the Cultivator, a table of grasses experimented upon at Woburn. Yet the soils upon which the different kinds grew, appear to have been very different, and in very different states of fertility. I should also think that the same kind of grass, growing on the same soil as in the previous year, would likely be not only different in quantity, but also in its per cent of nutritive matter, owing to various causes in the season. And while one season or one country might be favorable to an increased burthen or quality of one kind of grass, the same season or the same country would not so well serve another kind of grass; which if true, go to show that notwithstanding it is a very interesting table, and contains much useful information, yet we must not rely too much upon it. The well informed and scientific agriculturist, that is really and thoroughly a practical One too, can often ascertain important results, when others cannot. Jan. 7, 1837. N. FARM ACCOUNTS-PRODUCTS OF A FARM. J. BUEL, Esq.-Sir-Having been a constant reader of your valuable paper from its commencement, and having been amused and instructed from the perusal of it, especially from original communications upon practical farming, statements of products, &c.; and having heard a gentleman in an agricultural address in this county some years since say, "It is time that farmers leave off guessing, and attend to their business systematically, that they may know their income," &c. I have once or twice since began to keep an account of the products of my farin, but have failed to go through the year. This year I began early in the season, and have kept an account of the principal articles produced, at their estimate at the common market price in this vicinity. But as I am a Yankee, I must be allowed the privilege of "guessing" at a part. The reason of my communicating to you the result of my labors, is not that I expect that I have outdone every body else, for I believe that many farmers in this region have produced more from the same number of acres than I have, as some of my crops were very poor; my orchard and a few thousand silkworms almost wholly failed. But I have thought that the publication of the products of farms might influence some of those who occupy land and farm by guess, to use more exertion; and may probably induce some young men to turn their minds from the fancied gains of speculation to the slow, but substantial, income of good farming. And in this way, and no other, can we compare our own advantages of location with our brethren at a disprairies of the west, it would be well for many of them to know that tance. And since there is such an itching desire for removal and the they are well situated. My farm contains about 150 acres of land. I improve about 100 acres, the remainder is in wood; some of the land has been cleared of wood thirty-five years, and farmed without much system for a number of years; now some of it is in tolerable cultivation, though very little in a high state. I shall now proceed to give the items of produce and their estimate. I am thus particular, that every reader may see for himself, and imitate the example if he thinks proper, and communicate the same for the benefit of others. 1,088 lbs. of maple sugar, at $10 per cwt. is.. INQUIRY RESPECTING GRASSES. JESSE BUEL,-Please to state in the Cultivator the kinds and quanti. ties of grass seeds our most experienced and best informed practical || 35 lbs. of wool, at fifty cents per lb... graziers would prefer to sow on a meadow fallow, previously prepared, 4 veal calves, at $2.50 per head... and designed for a permanent grass sward, for grazing and mowing.* 1 killed at four days old, skin sold for I have been in the practice of sowing my meadows early in Septem- 5 lambs raised, at $2 per head,.. ber, with timothy, and a little herd grass,† and red clover. And while, 5 calves raised, at $4 per head, as I think, timothy will give way to spear or green grass (as we call 6 pigs sold young, at $1 per head,. 8 pigs raised, at $3 per head, We invite an answer from our graziers. The truth is, we believe this 50 tons of hay, at $7 per ton, subject has not received sufficient attention among us. There is little danger 1 ton of hemp,. of over stocking, or of mixing too many kinds, except on account of the cost of the seed, because the soil will only carrry a certain quantity of plants; and if there is seed enough, and the ground is in good condition, there will none of it be naked. We sow 10 lbs. clover and 6 or 8 quarts of timothy to the acre.Cond. +Timothy (phleum pratense) is the herds grass, and herds grass (agrostis ulgaris, of Eaton, and A. stricta of Mich.) is the red top of the eastern states. 16 bushels of peas, at $1 per bush... 80 bushels of apples, at 25 cents per bush.. $108 80 143 75 17 50 10 00 50 10 00 20 00 6 00 24 00 350 00 11 72 16 00 59 00 42 81 105 00 67 66 20 00 Total,..... 122 82 ing rains, up to their knees in clean litter, is the only way to fat cattle am $1,639 09 I would remark, that my young cattle, with the exception of one, has pastured on the commons; but as an offset, I have pastured a span of horses, till about the 10th of June, three cows and thirteen sheep all summer, two pair of oxen and one cow about one month; all the butter and cheese eaten in the family, the butter on hand, garden vegetables, &c. not brought into this account. And I consider my mulberry yard worth as much as it was last spring, before the sale of trees. I aware that various opinions will be manifested by those who peruse this statement. Some will think it falls short of what it ought to be, while others may think it extravagantly large. The fact is, my wheat crop was no more than half a good crop, and my corn almost wholly lost, my beans, onions and peas poor, flax not so good as usual. The loss of my wheat and corn I attribute in a large measure to bad management. My wheat ground fitted too wet, and my seed corn bad and planted too late, which left it wholly exposed to the frosts. There are other substantial reasons why farmers ought to know the value of their products; in this way they may ascertain the value of their lands. It is commonly supposed that land is worth as much as money; therefore, if your land will pay for cultivating and the interest, that is the real value of your land. For instance, you value your farm at sixty dollars per aere, it must pay the cultivation and repairs, and produce an income of seven per cent. Another reason is, that we may know what branches of farming are the most profitable. Dairymen commonly know very nearly their produce, while those who have tillage of various kinds, are ignorant of the value of their products, and consequently suppose their neighbors are going ahead of them, and they lose no time in converting a good tillage farm to grass wholly, either for the dairy or sheep entire. I would query, is not this one reason of the scarcity and high price of bread stuffs? And under existing circumstances, whether we had not better put the best of our tillage lands in high cultivation, and pursue the culture of wheat, corn, roots, &c. which will support our cows, and our sheep, and our families, while our cows, sheep and young cattle will support our farms? Champion, Jefferson Co. New-York, Dec. 1836. ASA CARTER. STALL FEEDING-MANURE-RUTA BAGA. J. BUEL,—Sir,—I have been a subscriber to your agricultural paper for the past year, and always feel rejoiced when the day of its reception arrives. I feel so much interest in my profession, that it is pleasing to know able men sometimes contribute their experience and knowledge to the world, through the channel of periodicals. Yet I am sometimes constrained to smile at their want of foresight, when treating of any particular subject on agriculture. 66 You will find me but a poor writer, but as I write from pure motives, and a desire of imparting what I know, as the result of strict observation and experience, must excuse errors, &c. New-Jersey, January 8, 1837. MAXIMS. Yours &c. A. B. C. Virtue is the only true nobility.-Juv. The insolence of pedigree, the pomp of titles and the pride of wealth, are reduced to nothing, when contrasted with the dignity of genuine virtue. Let nothing foul or indecent, either to the eye or the ear, enter those doors where youth inhabits.-Juv. Flemish maxim.—“No forage, no cattle; without cattle, no manure, and without manure no crop." Upon the cultivation of clover, in the alternating system, says Radcliffe, hinges apparently, the whole of the farmer's prosperity. It is the summer support of all his stock, which are kept in paved stables summer and winter. The first cutting of clover is used for soiling, and the second for seed. Two cuttings from an acre will support four cattle from May to October. Ashes are sown upon clover in February, at the rate of forty-five bushels the acre. Without clover, continues our author, no man in Flanders would presume to call himself a farmer. Do not reckon any thing your own that can be given away.-Pub. Syr. All worldly possessions are of doubtful tenure, but virtue, philo Manures and green crops are, to a farm, the two indispensables, with-sophy and an enlightened mind, we may call our own. You do not value it greatly, because it came by accident.-Hor. The Se There is no period of life to which the exercises of the faculty of learning is limited.-Lat. In every stage of existence, our faculties may be improved, and our minds expanded by learning. Nothing is bestowed on man in this life, without great labor. Hor. Wealth, fame, influence and power, can none of them be attained without much pain and application. Those who have few affairs to attend to are great speakers. The less men think, the more they talk.-Montesque. A maxim which, if inculcated in our legislative halls, would greatly shorten their session. Labor relieves us from three great evils, indolence, vice, and want. terfeit the man of worth.-La Bruyer. * Admitted, so far as regards health, but not so far as to favor the propensi--Voltaire. ty to fatten. Providence has provided neither winter food nor shelter for neat cattle in lat. 42; they are not indignous to this climate, and must depend on man for aid. Admitting that open sheds and exercise are most conducive to the health and hardiness of stock cattle, it does not follow, nor do we think that such is the fact, that they are most favorable, to the conversion of food into flesh. Instruction inculcated by precipt is tedious, by example it is quick and effectual.-Seneca. preserved in peat earth, by S. Hawes, 54 Apple orchards profitable to the farmer, B. ...... .... Maxwell's self feeding, Cut-worm and Hessian fly, by W. P. Kinzer, 109 ........ 132 134 166 Corn fodder, advantages of cutting,. .... of the cultivated kinds.. for pasture, .... table of,... .... ..... Grass seed, C. H. Tomlinson's mode of sowing, Gardens, their utility in domestic economy, 53 74 a kind described by T. A.W. Pleasants, 42 Grain, standard weight of,................... mischief done by it in Great Britain,. 99 mode of stacking,.. .... 65 78 Grub worm, its changes, by a Watervliet farmer, 123 and hay, cheap structure for the security of, 108 Gate fastenings, a new one described,........ 107 Grafting and budding, by S. Philips, 81 Garnet, J. M. his experiments in husbandry,.. 163 extracts from his address,.... 164 H. ....... ..... Hot beds, when to be constructed,. .... ... 153 .... ... 30 10 11 10 116 72 .... 95 105 ........ 151 Hoven in cattle, cured by pearlash, by G. H. 42 .............. 59 64 Hints to ploughmen,.... 64 6 Hops, picking, oasting and bagging, 84 75 80 Dutchess agriculture, well managed, how to be packed and branded,. ........ 120 Beet sugar, its fabrication profitable, 63 on its manufacture in France, by Le Ray de Chaumont, ..... its extent and importance in France, interesting facts in relation to,. remarks of H. Hawley upon,.................. facts in relation to, . .... 65 73, 127 further remarks on,......................................... Beef, how packed for exportation, C. 162 son, ............. Hop culture, its profits in Great Britain,...... 29 164 108 17 25 cribs, G. Butler's mode of constructing, 41 32 ....... 172 39 8 G. Butler's crop, 3 ..................... 9 errors in managing seed, 10 in chemistry,... F. on sheep husbandry, No. 4,... .... .... rotting, directions for, Farmers' School Book noticed, 166 Conkling, Alfred, author of Young Citizen's Clover, mode of culture and curing,. time of sowing in N. Carolina, by S. Weller, 122 Cattle, large flocks in Ohio, 22 ........ advantage in cutting over topping,... Indian cakes, directions for making," 21 Improvement in training, Jerusalem artichoke, 165 134 ... L. Farm accounts, products, &c. by Asa Carter,.. 172 Lime, M. Puvis on the use of, as a manure, 13, remarks on their winter feeding, by A. B.C. 172 Female education commented on,............................... their importance,. .......... 165 sale of Col. Powell's short horns, 48 Fruits, new mode of preserving,. how managed, by L. C. Ball, 75, 166 ........... 169 || Fences of stone and earth, directions for building, 88 |