NEW

VOL. II.

"TO IMPROVE THE SOIL AND THE MIND."

ALBANY, FEBRUARY, 1845

N. ORRS.

SERIES.

No. 2.

THE CULTIVATOR

Will the makers of this article, give us their address, and Is published on the first of each month, at Albany, N. Y., by the prices of their machines, that we may be enabled to

LUTHER TUCKER, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.

ONE DOLLAR A YEAR

SEVEN copies for 85,00-FIFTEEN copies for $10,00-all payments to be made in advance, and free of postage.

Complete sets of the First Series of "THE CULTIVATOR," consisting of ten vols., quarto, are for sale at the office, and may be ordered through the Agents of the paper throughout the country. Price, stitched,-vols. 1, 2, 3 and 4, 50 cents each vols. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, $1,00 each-for the whole set, $8,00.

OFFICE IN NEW-YORK CITY, AT

M. H. NEWMAN'S BOOKSTORE, No. 199 BROADWAY, where single numbers, or complete sets of the back volumes, can always be obtained.

THE CULTIVATOR.

MONTHLY NOTICES.

answer inquiries on the subject.

W. M. wishes further information respecting the churn made in Saratoga, noticed in our last volume, p. 170. Will the inventor inform us where it is made, price, &c.

O. M. H.-The Skinless Oats have not, we believe, proved valuable in this country. A discount of 33 per cent will be made on the vols. mentioned. Thanks for your favor.

Our friend at Bridgeport, Ct., who inquired for a remedy for scab in sheep, will find an article on this subect in the present number.

CAPONS.-S." will find answers to his questions, at p. 197, vol. 9, and p. 67, vol. 10, of the first series of the Cultivator.

E. F. C., Providence-The 2 bbls. shall be secured for you. Thanks for your efforts.

SEEDLING GRAPE.-We have had several applications for cuttings of the seedling grape, noticed in our Dec. number, as in the possession of G. B. Emerson, Esq. of Boston, which, we are sorry to say it is not in our power to comply with, as we are not aware that any can be procured short of Boston.

We have the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt of over eight thousand subscribers during the past month, exceeding the receipts, during the same time, last year, more than 2,500. For this handsome increase APPLES.-We have received from ELLWANGER & we are indebted mainly to the disinterested labors of BARRY, nurserymen, Rochester, specimens of the " Norththose who have voluntarily, and in most cases gratuitous-ern Spy" and other apples, described by them in this paly, so far acted as agents as to get up classes in their per. The Northern Spy is probably the most valuable towns at the reduced rates at which the paper is furnished variety added to our list of apples for some years. Trees to Agents. Truly grateful as we are for these continued or grafts may be obtained of Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry, manifestations of approbation from the friends of agricul- Rochester, N. Y.-We have also samples from S. W. ture, it will be our great object to render our paper more JEWETT, Esq., Weybridge, Vt., of a seedling apple and more worthy the favor with which it is so liberally called "Jewett's Best," of medium size, fine flavored, received. nearly red, and covered with light specks-also, from S. B. CUSHING, Esq. Ithaca, specimens of the "King Apple."

COMMUNICATIONS have been received since our last, from John F. Dauphey, J. P., James Hall, Ellwanger & Barry, D. G. Mitchell, L. B. Langworthy, T. H. Hyatt, W. H. Whiting, L. W. Washington, E. V. W. Dox, S. Tillotson, S. D. Martin, G. L. Beckith, A. Wiltse, L. F. Allen, Rambler, Wm. Summer, E. Comstock, P., M. P., C., E. N. Horsford, S. W. Jewett, R. L. Pell, J. M. Harlan, L. Durand, E. Hammond, E. R., C. Butler, Alex. McDonald. H. Hull, L. Smith:

Dr. MARTIN's excellent paper, for which he will please accept our thanks, will be given in our next-as also many other favors of correspondents, which are omitted this month for want of room.

CIDER. We acknowledge the receipt of a sample of cider from H. & Geo. H. Rundle, of Greenvile, Greene county, N. Y. It is of excellent quality, almost equal to champaigne. Mr. Rundle made the last season, eleven hundred and fifty-three barrels. We are to receive his mode of manufacture for publication.

MAPLE SUGAR.-We have received from our old friend

MOSES EAMES, Esq. of Rutland, N. Y., a beautiful sample of maple sugar, for which we return our thanks. The article is pronounced by all, fully equal to the best loaf sugar.

Our thanks are due to Col. A. PETRIE, for his Address MR. COLMAN'S TOUR, Part III.-We learn from Mr. at the late Fair of the Herkimer County Ag. Society-to COLMAN, that he has completed his Survey of England, some unknown friend for the Address of F. J. BETTS, and is now busily employed in preparing the 3d Part of Esq. of Newburgh, before the Berkshire Ag. Society-to his Tour for the press. It will contain a chapter on GuHon. H. L. ELLSWORTH, Washington, for Prof. MORSE'S ano and other manures, and will be issued in March. Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury on the subject of This chapter will be of great interest at the present time, the Magnetic Telegraph-to A. FITCH, Sec. Washington when so much inquiry is awakened on the subject of GuCo. Ag. Society, for an admirable Report of the Transac-ano in this country, and the facts and experiments detailtions of that Society-to W. R. PRINCE & Co. Flushing, ed by Mr. C. will enable our farmers to judge as to the for their new "Descriptive Catalogue of Fruit and Orna- propriety of its use here. mental Trees, Plants," &c., an interesting octavo pamphlet of over 100 pages.

D. T., Schenectady-By reference to the article again, you will see that the place, Boston,' is given.

H, S. W.-We do not know the price of Hay Presses.

QUERY. A friend desires us to insert the following. How would the following composition answer for a coating for buildings, fences, &c. ? Water-lime, three-parts, sand and ashes, one part; to be mixed with water in which oil-cakes have been dissolved.

AGRICULTURAL PAPERS.

ENCOURAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN CUBA.

FROM an advertisement which we find in the London THE CONNECTICUT FARMER.-This paper, hitherto published at New-Haven, has been discontinued, and its papers, signed by the Spanish Consul-General in Great proprietor has made arrangements with us to supply such Britain, we learn that the Royal Board for the Encourof his subscribers as had paid him in advance, with the agement of Agriculture in the Island of Cuba, have offerCultivator, for the balance due them. This paper willed, among others, the following liberal premiums. They accordingly be sent to them until the expiration of the are well worthy the attention of our enterprising countime for which they had paid, when it will be discontin- try men, whom we can hardly doubt will obtain their ued, as we take no subscribers without payment in ad-share of the honors and emoluments to be derived from vance. Mr. J. M. PATTON, the former publisher of the the highly praiseworthy and patriotic efforts of the gov Conn. Farmer, will act as Agent for the Cultivator at ernment and people of Cuba for the improvement of agNew-Haven, and will be glad to receive subscriptions of riculture. The officers whose names are attached to this such of his former subscribers, as may wish to become document, desire to notify all persons who wish to comsubscribers to the Cultivator. pete for these premiums that they may do so with the perfect assurance that they will be punctually paid.

advance.

.

One thousand dollars

NEW GENESEE FARMER.-This paper commences its One thousand dollars to the person who, during the sixth volume under a new arrangement. B. F. Smith & Co., are still proprietors, and Dr. D. LEE, of Buffalo, month of December, 1845, shall soonest prepare, and put well known as one of the ablest of the agricultural wri- into the most perfect state of tillage, one "cababeileria ters of the day, is editor. There is a horticultural de-of lar, with the improved American plow, worked by partment, conducted by P. BARRY. The form is octavo, mules, and managed by whites." of sixteen pages each number. It is hereafter to be call-to the person who shall, on the first of December 1846, ed the GENESEE FARMER. Terms, fifty cents a year in show two "cabellerias" of land well stocked with red clover of six months growth. Twenty thousand dollars, THE ALBION, or British Colonial and Foreign Weekly in annual instalments of $2,000, to the first person who, Gazette. This paper commences the year with an Agri- during the years 1845, '46 and 47, shall set up or establish a sugar estate or plantation, in which the cultivation cultural Department under the charge of that founder of agricultural papers in America, JOHN S. SKINNER, Esq. of the cane shall be performed by thirty white families, Under the direction of this veteran in agricultural litera-consisting of a married couple each at least. One thouture, we cannot doubt that the new department will great-sand dollars for the introduction of the bean used in the ly increase the interest and value of this paper. The sugar estates of New-Orleans, as an article of food. Four number for Jan. 4th, has several excellent articles under thousand dollars to the person who shall show on the first of December, 1848, an artificial plantation of trees, of the agricultural head. three years growth. Six thousand dollars to the person NEW YORK FARMER & MECHANIC.-This paper is who shall introduce from the East Indies, 200 thriving hereafter to be printed in the newspaper form, and is de-and luxuriant stocks of sugar canes, &c. Twelve thousand signed to be a "family and business paper, devoted to dollars, in annual instalments of $2,000 to the person or Agriculture, Mechanics, Manufactures, News, Education, persons who shall set up, during the years 1845 and 46, Temperance and Religion." It will contain authentic a permanent establishment for the improvement of the reports of the New-York Farmer's Club, the Conversa- breed of horses-four stallions, viz: one of each of the tional Meetings of the American Institute, the Proceed-following breeds, to be kept for public service, at prices ings of the Mechanics' Institute, &c.-Published by to be fixed by the owner-one Andalusian, one Arab, one FLEET & STARR, 135 Nassau-street, New-York, at $2 per Norman, and one English—each to be of the genuine annum in advance. breed, of good form, size, &c. Six thousand dollars, in SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. This monthly paper, pub-annual instalments of $1,000, to the person who shall imlished at Augusta, Georgia, (at $1 per annum,) has just entered on its third volume. An arrangement has been made with JAMES CAMAK, ESQ., of Athens, to conduct the editorial department. The name of this gentleman will at once be recognized by our readers, as associated with several excellent articles which have at various times appeared in our own Cultivator. We trust he will find the new field he has chosen, in all respects an agreeable one, and that the paper which is placed under his charge, will receive the liberal patronage which it will undoubtedly merit.

THE BOSTON CULTITATOR begins the year with quite an ornamental new dress. Besides being a pretty paper, it is a good one.

port direct from England, one bull and six cows "of the finest and most reputed breed of that country." Two thousand dollars to the person who, on the first of December, 1846, shall show a herd of the "largest sized swine," introduced from the United States of America, or any other country. One thousand hard dollars to the person who shall, on the first of December, 1846, "present or produce, a breed of the largest domestic or barn-door fowls, (gallinas,) hatched or born on the Island, of a breed introduced from the United States of America, or any other country."

GREAT PRODUCT OF WHETT.-Hon. E. MACK, in his address before the Tompkins county Ag. Society, states BRITISH AMERICAN CULTIVATOR.-This publication that Mr. E. J. Ayers, of Ulysses, raised the past season, comes out with the new year in the octavo form. It is fifty-seven bushels of wheat to the acre. He observes that published at Toronto, Canada West, monthly, at one dol-several others, as he has been informed, have raised from lar a year. It is a useful paper, and we recommend it to the patronage of the Canadian public.

forty to fifty bushels to the acre.

RIBBON HOUSES.-We see in the Genesee Farmer, a

The boards or ribbons used for the

"This equals," he remarks, "the improved yield in the best portions of England and Scotland, and shows what the soil of our counAMERICAN RAIL-ROAD JOURNAL. The thirteenth vo-try, with skillful management, is capable of producing." lume of this valuable publication has just closed. The great increase of rail-roads within a few years, has rendered such a journal highly interesting. It is stated that description of a new mode of building houses. The sills since the publication of this work commenced, the rail-are laid upon a wall. road system has grown from less than one hundred miles.superstructure are of hemlock, four inches wide and one either in this country or Europe, to several thousands in inch thick, laid up in the manner of brick work, taking The work is hereafter to be published care to break joints. The partitions should be carried up weekly in a quarto form of sixteen pages, at $3 per an-titions are carried up to the roof and a plate dispensed and worked into the wall with the main body. The parD. K. MINOR, editor. Office, 23 Chambers-st., with, though a ridge-pole is used. The boards are nailed with 8 penny nails, except four or five of the last courses which are nailed with 10 penny. The plastering of the inside is applied directly to the walls. It is said to make a very warm and cheap house, and the only alteration recommended from the plan here described, is to use boards an inch and a half, instead of an inch thick.

each country.

num.

New-York.

RAPID GROWTH OF A PIG.-According to the Maine Farmer, Ephraim Wood of Winthrop, lately killed a pig which weighed 357 pounds at only the age of 8 months and 15 days. This is nearly a gain of a pound and a half a day from the time of its birth to its death.

PLATE II.

MOUNT HOРЕ,

The Residence of E. P. PRENTICE, Esq.

sheet of water, 150 feet long by 100 wide, bordered by trees, and surrounded by a neat fence, and in the center of which a perpetual fountain, in the form of a fine delicate silvery jet, shoots upwards fifteen feet or more in height.

The view from the house is of uncommon beauty, and embraces the city on the left, and the Hudson for many miles below, until lost among the blue hills. The distant peaks of the mountains of Vermont and Massachusetts are distinctly visible. The surface of the river

WE have the pleasure of presenting our readers this month, with a view of Mount Hope, the residence of E. P. PRENTICE, Esq., well known to the farmers of this State for his enterprising and successful efforts in the introduction of improved breeds of cattle-engraved on steel by JORDAN of New-York, from a drawing made ex-is constantly spotted, during the season, with white sails pressly for The Cultivator.

Mount Hope is situated on the west bank of the river, about a mile below this city. It is a beautiful natural situation, one of the finest indeed of the numerous beautiful situations on the Hudson,-much embellished by art, but not reduced to artificial stiffness. In front of the house is a fine lawn of ten or fifteen acres, descending from the house to the road, interspersed with trees, and flanked on either side by gently rising hills covered with scattered groups of trees and dense copses. In front, and about thirty rods below the house, is a fine elliptical

moving up and down its channel, and the scene enlivened by the occasional arrival and departure of steamboats, and of trains on the Boston rail-road, which is seen for many miles from this place.

On the right of the house is a well-arranged flower garden, and in the rear vegetable and fruit gardens, with a large and fine natural grove beyond on a greatly varied surface-the whole furnishing a most refreshing and lovely retreat from "the tumult and smoke of the city." In the annexed figure, a view is presented of the first floor of the house, together with the adjoining grounds.

yard is well calculated for preserving the manure, and the cattle are kept constantly well littered, either with straw, or fine shavings and dust made by a planing machine. The litter absorbs much of the urine, which would otherwise be wasted.

The farm at Mount Hope, consists of 127 acres, 25 of ||constitutes a valuable dressing for all crops. The barn which are in wood. The whole of the cleared portion has been brought to a high state of fertility, as may be inferred from the fact that it maintains on an average over fifty head of neat cattle, (of various ages, from calves to full-grown animals,) six horses, and from fifteen to twenty swine. All this stock is actually supported from the farm. Grain or meal has sometimes been purchased, but the amount of hay, &c. sold, has been more than sufficient to balance this. In addition to supporting the stock, the farm and garden produce grain, vegetables and fruits, amply sufficient for home consumption.

Fig. 15 exhibits the ground plan and the internal arrangement of Mr. Prentice's barns, and the apartments for stock, which it will be seen are convenient and judiciously contrived.

Among the attractive objects about Mount Hope, is the beautiful herd of Improved Short Horn cattle. Many individuals of this herd have at various times received the highest premiums of the New-York State Agricultural Society, and portraits of several of them have appeared in former volumes of the Cultivator. The first of Mr. Prentice's herd, were a pair, Leopard and Trim, purcha

The soil of the greater portion of the farm may be said to have been naturally of not more than medium quality, and its extraordinary fertility and productiveness have been caused by the application of manures. Besides the manure made from the stock of the farm, Mr. Prentice makes use of the animal matters, and other waste, from sed of the late Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer in 1834. To a large manufactory of various articles of fur. The waste from the factory is a very powerful manure, and being mixed with earth, the scrapings of the streets, &c.

these were added Susan, imported by Mr. G. W. Smith in 1832, Matilda, out of Heart, which was imported by Thomas Hollis, Esq., and the following animals import

Plan of Barn, Yard, &c.-(Fig. 15.)

ed mostly by Mr. Prentice, direct from England, viz: Appolonia and Splendor, imported in 1838, 9-Princess, Miss Scotson, Flora, Aurora, and Snydus, in 1840-and Moss Rose, Violanta, Esterville and Catharine, in 1841. These were selected from the noted herds of the Earl of Derby, Samuel Scotson, Esq. of Toxteth Park, Messrs. Whitaker, and R. C. Lowndes. The animals above named, are all registered in the Herd Book, and they, with their progeny, constitute the present Short Horn stock at Mount Hope.

At

animal frame, it is worth a journey from Rochester to Albany on foot to see this stock. It is worth almost as much to see Mr. Prentice's stable arrangements and the tidy manner in which every thing is kept. Some few farmers among my acquaintance, in going there, would hardly know that they were not in their own parlors."

Prentice has a few very superior Ayrshires. These are a cow imported in 1842, and a heifer which she dropped on the passage, with one or two others produced since. They are beautiful animals, and have evidently superior qualities for the dairy.

Besides the Short Horn stock above mentioned, Mr.

At the first Cattle Show of the N. Y. State Ag. Society at Syracuse in 1841, Mr. Prentice received the second premiums on bulls, cows, two year old heifers, and the first premiums for yearling heifers and bull calves. The community is also indebted to Mr. Prentice for the Show of the same Society at Albany, in 1842, the the importation of choice flocks of South Down and first premiums for the best bull, two year old bull, bull Cotswold sheep. These were imported in 1837. The calf, and heifer calf, and second premiums for cows, South Downs were selected from the flocks of Messrs. yearling heifers, and heifer calves, were also awarded to Riga and Putland, Sussex, and the Cotswolds from the Mr. P. At the last State Show, holden at Poughkeep-flock of Mr. Riga, Cross-hands, Wiltshire. Finding the sie, Mr. Prentice only exhibited from his herd three hei-breeding of sheep in connexion with cattle, rather inconfers, for two of which he received the highest premi- venient, Mr. P. disposed of the former to Mr. J. McD. ums in the class. Of one of these heifers, " Esterville," McIntyre, in 1841. we present our readers with a very accurate portrait at page 56 of this number.

In 1842, Mr. Colman gave the following account of Mr. Prentice's stock, in the New Genesee Farmer, of which paper he was at that time editor:

IMPROVED PLOWS.

This herd of cattle cannot be large consumers-after making due allowances for the fertility and production THE improvements in agricultural implements of variof the land, the quantity of stock kept is certainly re-ous kinds, within the last twenty or thirty years, has been markable. Though no particular trials have been made very great. In the PLOw, particularly, there has been with any of the cows to ascertain the quantity of butter almost an entire revolution, both in the kind of material they would yield, it is known that several of them are used, and in the general form and construction. A single extraordinary as milkers. Appolonia is one of the best example of the manner in which, within the memory of dairy cows we have ever seen. She, and several others the writer, (thirty years,) the operation of plowing was have each given from twenty-five to thirty quarts of performed in a New-England neighborhood, not by any milk per day, for several weeks in succession, with only means behind the age in agricultural advancement, will grass feed. serve to show in a striking light, the improvement which has been effected in this most important implement of husbandry. In plowing "green-sward," the force com monly employed was three yoke of oxen, with a horse to lead, or two yoke of oxen and a pair of horses, with two drivers, one man at the plow-handles, another at the beam to "bear on" in hard places, and, if the ground was at all rough, a man to follow the plow with a stout hoe to mend "baulks," and turn over furrows. An acre was considered a good day's work. Now mark the contrast. On the same farms, the same fields, with a tougher sward, are now plowed with one yoke of oxen, (sometimes with the addition of a horse,) and often with only one man, who is both plowman and driver. An acre and a half is plowed in a day, in a style infinitely superior to the former mode. Besides, notwithstanding the superior excellence and durability of the new implement, its cost is at least one-fourth less than that of the old one.

"If any man, however, chooses to see this stock in perfection, let him go to the farm of E. P. Prentice of Albany; and if he has any prejudices of any kind against the stock, and is not then prepared to yield every one of them, I can only say he is differently constituted from what I am. Mr. Prentice has about forty animals of the Improved Durham Short Horn, of pure blood and of the highest pedigree. He has one cow with seven heifers of her own progeny along side of her, six of which were in milk. A stock of larger size, of more symmetrical form, of equal beauty, of finer feel, of more thrift, of greater productiveness, I never have seen nor never expect to see; nor do I expect to see a herd better kept, nor better arrangements for their keeping. To an amateur, to an inquisitive farmer, who desires to see what skill, intelligence and care can effect in moulding and improving the

* With Appolonia, there was shipped a beautiful and celebrated cow, called Wood-Nymph, which unfortunately died on the passage.

This modern improvement in plows, it may be safely averred, originated in the encouragement offered by agricultural societies. The Massachusetts Society for the Promotion of Agriculture, early manifested a deep interest in this matter. The institution of plowing matches