much interest, who read papers and hear addresses, with some degree of attention. Surely here we may look for the fullest approval in every scientific movement, and in any educational movement; here at last, in place of ridicule and contempt, we shall find warm encouragement and assistance. How far these anticipations are realized, those who have had occasion to present such subjects, can testify. With the farmers constituting a majority in most of our legislatures, projects for educational establishments having their interest in view, are suffered to lie neglected, or even despised, year after year, while money is at the same time voted away by thousands through the votes of these same farmers, for comparatively trifling objects with which they have little or nothing to do. This evil is gradually lessening, but yet strong manifestations of it may be seen in almost every capital of state, during each legislative session. Can any one doubt, that the farmers when once convinced that money can be appropriated with benefit to the cause of agriculture, will hesitate to appropriate it so far as is necessary? Can any one doubt, but that if they were fully and really convinced, they would do it now, freely and not grudgingly? So far is this from true that even in three States where appropriations have been made, it has been amid doubts, fears and opposition.

The conclusion forced upon the mind by such reasoning, and such facts, as the foregoing, is, that the majority of the farmers in our States are not yet prepared to advance very rapidly, and are not sufficiently imbued with a spirit of improvement. Many of them are, as I have said, disposed to the vague belief that some improvement is needed, but they are inclined to rest in the expression of this belief. They are not ready to take active measures to bring this knowledge into practical forms, and within their reach, or to aid in its increase. They shrink from actual innovations, although theoretic ally they may be brought to acknowledge them possibly advisable. In short, what the mass of farmers call a conviction, as to the merits of scientific agriculture, is merely a somewhat favorable prepossession; if they were really convinced that there was much to be learned from it, they would not be so foolish as to neglect decisive and prompt mea. sures for bringing a knowledge of it within their reach. In such a case men of science would not be, as it were, compelled to produce the results of their labors and to apply them to practice, in a sort of apologetic way, as if for meddling with what they did not understand; but they would be sought after and encouraged, and urged forward in every possible way.

It is strange that, after all which has been already done, such a spirit does not show itself more strongly; while, too, the advantages from the application of chemistry, or of the other sciences, to practice is so extremely capable of proof.

that common manure will not produce good wheat, even when heavily applied to the land. Here then occurs the necessity for chemical analysis; by its means we are enabled to ascertain what are the substances, what are the proportions of the substances, that are contained in this grain; so much being done, it then remains to examine the soil also, and to ascertain of what this too is composed. If there are several substances present in the wheat, which are not present, or only present in small quantity in the soil, the whole subject becomes clear at once, and the great principles are established, by means of which such immense advances have been made in modern times; the principles of special manuring, that is, of supplying special deficiencies by additions of particular substances, which common manures cannot furnish in sufficient quantities.

We may also suppose a case, where the farmer cannot obtain enough of common yard manure for the extent of ground which he wishes to crop with wheat. Knowing the composition of the grain, he can look about for something which will answer for its food; though here again he is helpless to a considerable extent without the labors of the chemist, to tell him whether manures or substances that he has never seen before, are really what he wants. Can any reasonable man deny that chemistry is valuable in each of these cases; cannot all, on the contrary, see that if the researches of the chemist had been much more extended, had been carried so far as to explain every change which takes place from germination to entire ripeness, and all of the differ ences in the varieties of this grain, that a fund of knowledge would have been collected of the very greatest importance to every practical man.

In my next letter I propose to write somewhat more at length relative to the necessity of such extended investigations as the one alluded to above, and as to the way in which they can be encouraged. Yours truly, JOHN P. NORTON.

Of Plows and Plowing.

EDITORS OF THE CULTIVATOR-In the Cultivator for March last, there are some ideas of mine upon "Plows and Plowing." I there mentioned that, with such plows as I had used, I had not been able to turn stubble land in a manner that seemed to me to be the most desirable, nor to plow so deep a furrow in green-sward land as I wished; that I had stated my difficulties to Messrs. RUGGLES, NOURSE, MASON & Co., and that they were getting up some new patterns of plows with the intention of obviat ing my difficulties. These gentlemen have now completed three sizes of a new plow for green-sward, and two sizes for stubble land, one of the largest of each sizes of which I have tested thoroughly, and I am now happy to be able to say that they meet my wants entirely.

ings, is high and arching, giving a clear space of eighteen inches between the beam and the sole of the castings. When the plow is at work in the furrow, the extra space left between the surface of the ground and the plow-beam, in consequence of the increased height of the latter, effectually prevents the wadding up of stubble, coarse manure, or other impediments, immediately forward of the standard; and thus are avoided those vexations so frequently experienced when plows of the common construction are used. In June last, for the express purpose of testing this plow in regard to its ability to keep itself clear from clogging, 1 spread a dressing of the coarsest kind of long manure over an acre of corn-stubble land, and set the plow at work in furrows 8 inches deep. The acre was plow. ed, and the manure all covered, without once stopping the plow to clear it, and without any effort on

it, and it works well in furrows all the way from six to twelve inches deep, but it delights especially in deep furrows. When set for plowing a foot deep, the most proper width for it to take is sixteen to seventeen inches; and the width of course lessens with the lessening of the depth. The next size is a three cattle plow, to be used in furrows not exceeding nine or ten inches in depth. The smallest size is a two cattle plow, designed for furrows not exceeding seven or eight inches in depth.

The

height of beam is the same in all the sizes, and the general form and principles of working are the same; the variations being in the amount of work done, and the force of team necessary to do it. The accompanying cuts show the general form of these plows. F. HOLBROOK.

Brattleboro', Ang. 12, 1850

in a gentle and easy manner, laying it smoothly over into its proper place, with an easy draught by the team, and with little assistance from the plowman. It has also a space of eighteen inches between the beam and the sole of the castings, which prevents all clogging. The roller is attached to the side of the beam, instead of being placed under it, and consequently, it can be made ten to twelve inches in diameter, thus avoiding that constant groaning and laboring upon the axis which is liable to occur where small rollers are used. The dial-clevis and draft-rod, by which the team is attached to the plow, is an improvement, I think, upon the common clevis. Besides being a stronger and more durable attachment, it enables one to set his plow with entire accuracy in any desired furrow, from the shallowest and narrowest to the deepest and widest, that it is capable of taking.

The largest size of the green-sward plow is intended for the draught of four cattle. I have used

This machine, invented by Mr. NATHAN CHAPIN, of Syracuse, is arranged in one compact body upon a sett of common wagon wheels, and is drawn from one orchard to another, by a pair of horses or oxen. It operates while standing upon its wheels, and it is said it will make from 12 to 20 barrels of ci

der per day, with the help of two men and one horse.

They are also made in small form, about the size of a Fanning Mill, and conveyed and operated by hand, in a barn or cellar, at pleasure. [See advertisement of Mr. Chapin, of Syracuse, the patentee, in another part of this paper.]

The annexed engraving represents two perspective views of an apparatus for coupling hose and pipes," for conducting fluids, recently invented by A. HEYER BROWN of this city, for which he has received letters patent. The obvious advantage of this mode of connecting pipes or hose, consists in the celerity with which the operation may be performed by a single motion of the hands, instead of the method at present in use, which requires a number of turns to be given to the coupling boxes, corresponding with the number of threads or turns in the thread of the screw; and in all operations of the kind when the time requir ed to form or sever a connection is of consequence, as in the case of fire engines, locomotive tenders, &c., it will readily be perceived that this mode possesses a decided advantage. The patentee has a number of specimens of the article of the size used by the Albany Fire Department, which he will be pleased to exhibit to such as may call on him for the purpose, at his room No. 17 Commercial Buildings, corner of Broadway and Hudson streets, Albany.

P

The coupling A, consists of a hollow metal ferule, a, attached to the hose by the method now in use. This ferule is enlarged at its other end to form a cylindrical shaped cup or hollow box, b; the edge of which c, is of sufficient thickness to form a firm bearing against the flat, corresponding part of the coupling, B.

The coupling B is a hollow metal ferule, g, attached to the hose, and is of equal bore to the ferule, a. At its extremity it is enlarged to form a flange, h, equal in diameter to the coupling A. The edge of the face of this flange at s, towards A, is turned at right angles to its axis, so as to bear truly against the edge e, when the couplings are united."

Fig. 2.-A view of the same when connected.

The i in figure B and g in figure A represent the position of a hexagonal rim, or surface, immediately behind the flanges b and h, designed for the application of wrenches, when necessary to connect the couplings firmly, or to disconnect the same.

A drone should be as rare in society as in a hive of bees, and almost deserves to be treated the same.

The Potato Disease.

EDS. CULTIVATOR-Disease has once more fallen upon the Potato crop. A few words upon its signs and progress may not be uninteresting though they cannot be new, as they will be mainly, though not entirely, a repetition of the experience of former years. The potato crop in Central New-York, came up late this season in consequence of a cold and wet May. It grew rapidly during the month of June, but was not fully in flower until nearly the middle of July, in consequence of the general lateness of

the season.

The first intimations of disease upon it were noticed, after a pretty heavy rain, on the 23d and 24th of June, followed by cool weather on the 25th, on which day I noticed that the small and half formed rosettes of flowers were paralyzed and falling off unopened.

The next, and much more severe check which this crop received, was from the heavy rains of the 2d, 3d and 5th of July, followed by cool nights on the 5th and 6th, the thermometer sinking on the following mornings to 50°. There was not, however, in connection with these cool nights, the same cool. ness and chafing wind during the day, that I have noticed, in former years, in connection with the origination of the potato disease. Immediately after these rains, i. e. on the 6th, I observed a most marked pallid look in the potato crop, attended with the withering of the top of the leading shoots, more especially at first a single leaf, and the falling of all the flowers whether expanded or not. Here let it be asked what would be the consequence of any considerable check in the growth of this or any other plant? Would it not probably show itself at the tenderest points, i. e. upon the last formed leaves, and the flowers? Can there be then a more convincing proof that potato disease, which always commences with this pallid aspect of the foliage, attended with the withered leaf and falling flowers, all in connection with sudden and severe changes of the weather, is legitimately the result of such unsteady weather?

These heavy rains filled the plant with weak juices and saturated and chilled the soil so as to shat out the influence of both sun and air, and thus prevent all healthful elaboration in the plant. Meanwhile chemical tendencies would become more powerful than vital energies in the plant; and the result would naturally be morbid elaboration, and eventual disease, in the foliage in the first instance, and remotely in the tubers. Where this withered leaf is seen, the end of the shoot, in nearly every instance, either dies or hopelessly dwarfs; and its place is taken, if the plant should recover its energies, by the development of the bud in the axil of the next leaf below. After the effect of these rains and chills of the first week of July passed off, the verdure of the potato crop gradually recovered. Much of the succeeding portions of the month, how ever, was wet and hot; the atmosphere was like a hot vapor bath, a state of weather undoubtedly unfavorable to the health of an enfeebled plant, such as I consider the potato now to be.

July 16th, two days after a heavy and warm rain, I noticed the first blue edgings on the leaves of the potato seen this season. This is a fearful indication, as it almost always spreads rapidly, and is always speedily followed by death to all the leaves so marked.

After this there was a slight recovery of the healthful verdure of the erop, which continued until the 25th, when a slight shower, followed by a

Whole fields of early planted potatoes now look as though lately invaded by a seorching flame. During the present week, I and my neighbors have frequently found tubers marked with tender, reddish spots on the cuticle, beneath which the flesh begins to be a little soft.

What the result will be, no one can tell. It may be hoped that some very late crops will find cooler and more even weather, and so mature a fair erop of healthful tubers, just as was the case last year; although, as a general rule, it is undoubtedly true that early planted potatoes do best.

It is yet too early to know how fatally the tubers of early planted crops of potatoes will be diseased, but I anticipate painful results.

It is a melancholy work to watch the progress of disease on this valuable plant from year to year, and to feel how imbecile are the most of our efforts to avert it or arrest its progress.

In harmony with the suggestions of my published essays on this topic, I am laboring to renovate the potato-first, by successive reproduction from seed balls, gathered from our strongest existing varieties, and secondly, by importations from South America, whence I have tubers brought both from Bogota, in New Grenada, and also from Chili. These last I appreciate not as a race of tubers to be made the basis of cultivation, but as a supposed pure and hardy source of new seed balls.

Should it be asked how the morbid indications of

the present harmonises with those of former years, I answer most exactly. There is one difference in circumstances however. They are more obviously connected with hot and wet weather, and less with that which is cold and windy, than in former years. The relation of disease to different soils, aspects, modes of culture, varieties, &c., I have hardly had time to examine, nor is it quite time to fully know. tropical plants, has been adduced to show that the An argument, derived from the culture of other potato, in common with most other tropicals, suffers from sudden alternations of weather. It is yet too early fully to illustrate this argument from the culture of the present year. however, that tropical plants have grown less It may be observed, vigorously than in some former years, but that, as there has been an absence of severe and sudden chills, so the foliage of these plants has not been diseased as much as in former years. The fruit of these plants also has suffered less than in former

years.

of all sorts, summer squashes and beans. Tomatoes I now refer especially to cucumbers, melons show a strong tendency to the wet rot. The dry black induration upon this fruit, noticed in former years, in connection with the potato disease, has not yet been seen this year. The time has not yet come for some tropical plants to show all the morbid indications to which they are liable, as their fruits are not yet matured.

It has been advised to mow off potato vines, when first struck with disease, in the hope thus of preventing its communication to the tubers. The only case where this would be applicable is that in which the tubers are large enough to be worth saving. In such a case, and where the approach of disease was

sudden, as in 1846, I certainly would do it. There is, however, usually this practical difficulty about it: the disease is often permitted to make too much progress before it is attempted, and then it can do no good. There is also always a hope that it will be light, and that the vegetation of the potato will, after suffering awhile, recover and mature its tubers in a tolerably healthful condition.

In conclusion, so uniform are the morbid indications of the potato, taking sorts, soils, modes of culture, and time of planting, into consideration, and connecting all with changing states of weather, that I have almost ceased to feel any curious interest in them. A melancholy interest all, however, must feel. I have no hope of a permanently better state of things while our old varieties continue to be cultivated.

The alternative to which we are fast being driven is, I think, regeneration or ruin. C. E. G. Utica, Aug. 10, 1850.

The Horticultural Department.

CONDUCTED BY J. J. THOMAS.

Irrigation of Gardens.

From repeated experiments, we are induced to draw the conclusion, that next to manure, the great prime mover in successful culture, there is nothing more important to vegetable growth in many cases, than irrigation. Practical gardeners in countries far more moist than our own, regard it as indis. pensable, and a large share of their success depends on copious waterings.

Some interesting instances which have recently occurred may be worth stating. Two rows of raspberries stand on ground in every respect alike, except that one receives the drippings from a woodhouse, and the other does not. The watered row is fully four times as large in growth as the other. Again, the berries on the bushes of the Fastolff and Franconia raspberries were at least twice as large when the soil was kept well moistened, as afterwards when allowed to become dry; a repetition of the watering again doubled their size. Again, a near neighbor who cultivates strawberries for market, and who uses a water-cart for irrigating the rows, raised at the rate of one hundred and twenty bushels to the acre on common good soil by this means-and he noticed that where the cart was left standing over night so that the water gradually dripped from it for some hours upon a portion of the plants, the fruit had grown to double the size of the rest, in twenty-four hours.

It should be observed that these advantages of a copious supply of water pertain chiefly to small or annual plants. The roots of fruit trees being larg. er and deeper, are to be supplied with moisture in a different way; that is, by a deep, rich, mellow soil, kept moist by cultivation, or by covering thickly with litter. Water applied to the surface, rarely descends so low as the roots, and only hardens the soil to a crust.

Striped Bugs.

John W. Bailey, an enterprising fruit raiser of Plattsburgh, N. Y., gives the following method in the Horticulturist, which he has found the only one effectual under all circumstances: "Take 4 pieces of boards about 2 feet long and 7 to 10 in width, [ we presume he means 7 to 10 inches and not feet, Eds. Cul.,] nail the ends together, and put around

the hill vines, and no striped bug will ever be found inside (if not there when the box is put on.) Three or four short boards put around the hill and kept there with wooden pins will answer the purpose equally well. This season the bugs had destroyed more than half my vines before I put my boxes on. I then planted the vacant hills inside the boxes; not a bug came on the vines after that, until I supposed the young vines last planted, were strong enough to defy the bug, when I removed the boxes, and they were immediately attacked again, and Í was obliged to replace the boxes. I have tried this for several years."

American Pomological Congress.

An invitation is given by the officers of this institution, which holds its next meeting at Cincin nati, on the 11th, 12th and 13th days of this month to all agricultural, horticultural, pomological, and kindred societies in the United States and Canadas, to send such number of delegates as they may deem expedient. Specimens of fruits are also solicited,

with lists of the same, and also papers descriptive of their art of cultivation, of diseases and insects injurious to vegetation, of remedies for the same, and whatever will add to the interest and utility of the convention."

Packages of fruit not accompanied by the exhibitor, to be sent to JOHN F. DAIR & Co. Lower Market street, Cincinnatti, O., very distinctly marked, "For the Am. Pomological Congress."

Delegates are to forward their certificates to J. B. RUSSEL, corresponding secretary of the Cincinnati Horticultural Society, and to report themselves on the 11th at the Burnet House.

The Michigan or Prairie Rose.
(Rosa rubifolium.)

None can be better adapted for pillars than the Prairie Rose. It is more hardy than the Ayrshire in some localities, and more vigorous in its growth than the Boursault. Its colors are fine, though there is room for improvement,-for if we could give to its flowers the brightness of Coccinea superba, the dark richness of Miralba, or the pure white of Madame Hardy,—their beauty and splendor would be much increased.

It is now scarcely ten years since much was known of its double varieties. It is true that in the spring of 1836, Professor Russel published a notice of a semi-double prairie rose found on an island of the Ohio river; but he had not seen the flower. R. Buist, in his Rose Manual says: "It was in 1837 that we first saw a double variety of this rose, although such had been cultivated in Ohio and Kentucky for many years." He has not mentioned, however, the name of the variety.

In the spring of 1840, James Wilson, in the Albany Cultivator, described a double variety" with flowers similar to the cabbage rose." This I presume was the Queen of the Prairies. In the Rose Manual (1844) six kinds were named, which had been originated by Samuel Feast of Bal

This rose is not found in the open prairies, but in the oak openings or barrens where the timber is sparse, and of stunted growth. It is not a trailer like the Ayrshire rose, but shoots directly upward,

and sometimes occupies the tops of other shrubs. In 1816 I saw one a few miles east of Vincennes, Ind., and made the following memorandum at the time: "Observing a plum tree with large red flowers twelve feet high, I turned from the road to take a fairer view, and with surprise beheld a rose bush resting its vine-like stem on the branches to that height. The blossoms are in clusters, and as the color varies with age, the appearance is beautiful. I have seen this might be trained to the height of twenty feet." Travels in the rose almost every day since we crossed the Sciota, and believe it West, page 142.