COSTLY FENCES.-FINE CATTLE FOR THE SOUTH.-HELPS IN READING AGRICULTURAL WORKS. 341

if unloaded, the teamsters have a sweet night's sleep. Arrived at Venice, and the wheat unloaded and payment received for it, they take in a few bushels of ship stuff, sufficient to last to where they have left feed, at suitable distances from home, to carry them through the entire journey each way, so that the whole expense of the journey is the feed at the mill, and perhaps a little hay and cut straw purchased on the road.

split, makes good fence; but a block of durable wood, some six inches thick, should be laid under the ground end of each bottom rail. PUTNAM.

(a) The "best and cheapest" fences are, with few exceptions, none at all. They are not only an eyesore in the landscape, but a perfect curse to the country, and the most unnecessary and outrageous tax on their industry that a people ever voluntarily submitted to. This language may appear strange to many of our readers, but we intend to take up this subject in our next volume, and hope to show the enormous absurdity and waste of labor in fencing in farms, especially in a country like the broad prairies of the west, which seems to have been made by Omnipotence expressly to be cultivated without them.

FINE CATTLE FOR THE SOUTH.

I will now contrast this with another section of wheat-growing country, lying within a circle of 30 miles of the canal or railroad depot. The farmer puts up his 30 bushels of wheat, hitches on his two hundred dollar span of horses, takes his two dollar mounted whip, gives it a crack, and away he goes to the half-way house; stops, orders a bating of hay for his horses, 6 cents; 8 quarts of oats, 25 cents; dinner, 31 cents, and 6 cents to the hostler for his attention. Arriving at the mill, he takes the horses from the wagon to the tavern, orders supper, lodging, and breakfast. The whole, As the importers of fine cattle in the south often together with horse-keeping, &c., &c., $1 56. lose them by sudden death, and having had conPerhaps he may drive home on 31 cents for horse-siderable experience in transporting them there, I feed and creature comforts; say in all $2 expense have thought it might be useful, for me to give out of 30 bushels wheat. I have said nothing of some hints on the subject for your paper. It is the difference in cost of the clothes of these two very important to the breeders of the south that farmers; the former consisting of what they call they should adopt the custom of selecting young jeans, made in the family, of cotton and wool, and cattle instead of old ones, and they are often incosting not to exceed $4 for the dress throughout, jured by high feeding. I would say from one to hat, boots, and all. The latter costing $40 at least, two years old were the best ages for importation. including great coats and umbrella, and very cheap | Ship in the fall not earlier than the first of OctoThe one farm has cost, with all buildings ber. They should have as near the same course complete, say $6 per acre; while the other has of treatment after their arrival at the south as they cost $50 per acre. The former is out of debt, and had been in the habit of receiving at home. Good lays aside his money, or loans it on interest; the hay with corn and oats ground, or separate in modlatter has hard work to pay his interest money, erate quantities, bran, or shorts mixed with cut after meeting all family expenses. Take courage, straw and roots, if convenient. But above all, then, my distant and inland readers, and envy not they should be sheltered from the hot sun, rains, your neighbors who live, as you may erroneously and the night air, and have no grass until fairly suppose, in the enjoyment of superior advantages. acclimated; last, but not least, good water. A BUCKEYE. course of treatment should be kept up twelve months, after which both they and their progeny may be treated as the good common stock of the country is, and they will live and do well. R. H. HENDRICKSON.

too.

COSTLY FENCES.

THESE are all very well where fencing material abounds, and the owner can afford to build at an expense of 75 to 150 cents per rod. No single rule of building or description of fence will answer for all localities. Every farmer must consult his own convenience and interest in the matter. I think people in general have too great a penchant for small enclosures. These should be proportioned to the size of the farm. In stony countries, solid wall is no doubt the best; in wooden ones, the worm or Virginia fence is altogether the best and cheapest. (a) I have lately made a contract for some two miles of this, to be eight rails high, and double locked at each corner, for about 30 cents per rod in length. It takes up some six feet of ground in width, it is true, but in cheap land that is no object. The rails will last 20 to 50 years, and if they get infested with bushes, it is but little labor to take them up and set them a few feet distant on another line. White oak, red and white cedar, red, black, and gray oaks, chesnut, hickory, the varieties of ash, basswood, elm, &c., &c., in fact, anything that will

Middletown, O., Oct. 1, 1844.

This

HELPS IN READING AGRICULTURAL WORKS. EVERY one knows the value of a good index, or table of contents, to an agricultural or any other work. Let me suggest another time-saving help, which shall answer the same purpose for a whole life of agricultural reading, that a good index does for a single volume. The object is to facilitate a reference to whatever is of any value in such reading. It consists simply in making an index, as you read of subjects. Let any farmer furnish himself with a blank book of one hundred and fifty pages, which will cost three or four shillings, (more or less). Then draw a line across each page, about an inch from the top, and another down each page, about an inch and a half from the left hand side. Then commence with the first page with the alphabet and write A in the space at the left hand, and a in the space at the top, in the centre of the page. On the next page write A-e, and on the

HELPS IN READING AGRICULTURAL WORKS.

The plan of the above work suggested by our correspondent, is like Todd's Index Rerum, which we have made use of for several years. It is ruled and bound with the alphabetical letters printed on the top of each page. We can attest to its great value as an index for general reference, and are highly obliged to our correspondent for bringing the subject before the public for the benefit of the farmer. Such an index is as valuable to him as to the student of general literature, and perhaps N. Gen. Farm. vol. iii. p. even more so, as he has not like him large and wellselected libraries, at hand for constant reference.

THIS machine, Smith's Power Corn-Sheller and Separator, consists of a horizontal toothed cylinder six feet long, and one foot two inches in diameter. The ears of corn, in the operation, are confined to a part of the upper and rising side of this cylinder, by means of a cast iron concave extending the whole length of the machine, and being shoveled or let in the machine at one end, they are driven through, and the cobs discharged at the opposite end, while the grain falls below, being admitted on either side of the cylinder. The operation is governed by elevating or depressing the discharge end, which causes the machine to discharge the cobs fast or slow, and of course operates more or less upon them; thus securing to the operator the power of finishing his work. This machine is capable of shelling three hundred bushels of ears per hour.

F. N. SMITH, Patentee.

sea, although a width of from 300 to 400 yards along the shore is the place of its natural growth. In some places the extent of the patches appears to be very capricious, the reason of which I can not discover, as it occurs where the soil and other circumstances appear to be uniform. This is particularly illustrated on an island of some elevation in Port Salvador. Although the tussac grass may be cut and amply remunerate the planting in the first year, it seems to take three years from the seed to arrive at perfection; but the tufts bear planting out extremely well. As to how many years the same roots may last, I can offer no information. Decayed portions of the root appear to accumulate; but in a properly attended piece of ground those would be annually removed. Under our present imperfect system, allowing the cattle to roam and graze at will, pulling out, wasting, and trampling as much as they eat, the rough, irregular patches of tussac on Long Island, amounting together to about 150 acres, keep in good fat condition for six months* 250 cattle and 70 horses. Under proper management, it is my opinion the THE introduction of tussac grass in Great Britain same quantity would be found to maintain three has been deemed of so much interest there, as to rises high above the snow, is fresh and green all times that number throughout the year. The grass have enlisted the efforts of some of the high offi- the winter, and from its height, completely shelcers of government for that purpose. In a recent No. of The Transactions of the Highland and ters the horses and cattle lying among it. Perhaps Agricultural Society of Scotland, I noticed a com- land would be to plant tussac in one of the small the best experiment which could be made in Engmunication to the society from Lord Stanley, sec-islands of the Orkneys, such as Hunda, if it met retary of state for the colonies, enclosing a letter with the approbation of the owner; and I confrom Governor Moody of the Falkland Islands, where the grass is produced in great perfection. I give an extract from the letter of the governor: "I have proved to my own satisfaction, nothing can answer better than the tussac, sown and planted out in rows, the tufts of grass being about

New York, Oct. 1844.

TUSSAC GRASS.

six feet from centre to centre. I am resolved to pursue this practice by having a large field laid out at Port William, in order to cut bundles through the winter to fodder horses and cattle in a stable, in the same manner as is done with the Guinea grass in the West Indies. I know that at pres ent it may be cut twice in a year; but under proper cultivation it may be gone over much oftener. It greatly improves by cutting, and grows fast. Horses injure it by grazing, and pigs destroy it. My present experiment tends to show that it will grow on almost any soil, and that it is not necessary for it to be exposed to the spray of the

ceive it would be greatly to the advantage of the landed proprietors of the Orkneys and Shetland Islands to send from among them an intelligent person to the Falkland Islands, to study the habits of the grass and to collect seed. He should arrive

there early in October."

and 529 south latitude, and nearly parallel with The Falkland Islands are situated between 51° the Straits of Magellan, from which they are distant about 80 east. The climate is therefore very that situation, analogy would lead us to expect severe. If the tussac be so entirely adapted to it would be every way suited to a large extent of reverse of ours, it is necessary, as suggested, that our northeastern coast. Their winters being the one desirous of studying the habits of the grass

The cattle are kept on Long Island only during the winter months.

344

LADY BARRINGTON, III.-HENS.-SEEDING GRASS LAND IN GEORGIA.

should be there early in October, the commencement | 1841, and also stood first, the same year, at the of their spring. The high reputation the tussac has Yorkshire Agricultural show at Hull, and is now acquired from various visiters to the above islands in possession of Lord Feversham, at Duncomb fully justifies the efforts now making for its intro- Park. The grandsire, Belvidere (1706), was sire duction into the islands of Great Britain. Six and grandsire of the Duke of Northumberland pounds of the seed have been sent there at about (1940), and had been Lord Barrington's favorite $12 50 per lb. It is not improbable that a small cow tribe from 1794. I bought my first Lady quantity might be obtained there through our Barrington in 1831, after the death of his lordship. minister at St. James', Mr. Everett, who takes This tribe generally breeds females, and I hope much interest in agricultural matters; or through she will give you a lot of cows. She will breed Mr. Coleman, our intelligent agricultural represen- well to your Wellington. The cow has had no tative abroad. (a) The object is well worthy the forced keep, and as such is more likely to do well most thorough trial, at any reasonable cost, in our with you than if she had come out in high condiown country. Perhaps some of our enterprising tion. I shall be glad to hear the account of your Americans have noticed the tussac abroad, and show in America, [meaning that of the New York already tried it at home. If so, they will confer State Agricultural Society,] and hope you will be a great benefit on our agricultural community by successful in obtaining prizes." communicating the results in the columns of some one of the farmers' journals of this country.

What is the result of hints on the introduction and cultivation of spurry in the sandy soils of the United States? Has the experiment yet been tried, and what has been the result? Our seedsmen who are so liberally patronized by the farmers, ought to exhibit an enterprising spirit in the introduction of new varieties of seeds whose utility has been proved elsewhere. (b)

Buffalo, Oct. 10, 1844.

R. L. ALLEN.

(a) We have solicited Mr. Colman, and several other friends in England, to procure us some of this grass seed. The reply is, that it can not be had till larger supplies arrive there. If we find any vessels sailing from this port likely to touch at the Falkland islands, we shall endeavor to get some seed direct. Whale ships might obtain it.

(6) Mr. Thorburn imported a small quantity of spurry seed last spring, but we have not yet heard of the result of experiments with it.

LADY BARRINGTON III.

MR. VAIL has just received from the herd of Mr. Thomas Bates, of Kirkleavington, England, another fine Durham cow, called Lady Barrington 3d. She arrived at this port on the 12th ult. We much regret that we were out of town at the time, and did not see her, as she almost immediately left for her owner's residence at Troy, who, we are glad to see, is still willing to be at the expense of importing superior animals from abroad, notwithstanding the dull sales at home. However, in this particular, we expect within a year to see a great change; as the early maturity of the Durhams, and their other good qualities, are attracting marked attention.

Mr. Vail informs us, that Lady Barrington is almost entirely red, and a much larger cow than Dutchess, his first importation; uniting to great length, broad loins, and fair brisket, with well-developed udder, promising good milking qualities. Mr. Bates thus writes to Mr. Vail about her: "You will find Lady Barrington's pedigree in the second part of the 5th volume of the Herd-Book, page 514. She is by Cleveland Lad (3407), who obtained the highest premium at the show of the Royal Agricultural Society at Liverpool, in

Mr. Vail further remarks, that though large, Lady B. is not at all coarse. We have not a doubt she will prove a valuable addition to his already choice herd.

HENS.

CAN any of your readers inform an inquirer, how long after connexion with the cock the eggs of a hen will produce chickens?

How often is connexion with the cock necessary, to insure fecundity to a constantly laying hen? Is one connexion sufficient to fertilise a brooding or ordinary nestful of eggs?

In the case of the hen turkey, when in heat, a single treading suffices for a brood of chicks-is it so with the common hen?

Do the Poland fowls lay more eggs than the common hen on the same keep, or is the superior merit claimed for them, limited to their neglect of sitting?

How long will a hen continue to be as good a layer as at one and two years old?

Is there any rule for determining the age of a hen?

What is the best food for poultry to produce the greatest quantity of eggs?

not full feeding always promote laying?
Can hens be too full fed to lay well, and does

Q.

SEEDING GRASS LANDS IN GEORGIA. IN October, 1842, I seeded about four acres of red clover with wheat. It came up tolerably well, and stood the winter, and after the wheat was cut, presented as promising appearance as it does in the Northern States. I let it stand the first season and neither cut nor pastured it. In June last I cut the best, and made about two tons of good hay; part of the ground had been overflowed and drowned the clover. In July it headed again, about a foot high, when I turned my milch cows on it, and in three days they had increased their milk three fold, and it was of a much richer quality than previously, although running on good native pasture. I allowed the clover to be cropped very close, but expect in November it will give me another crop for my cows. On the whole, I think it a fair and satisfactory experiment, and this has placed it beyond a doubt, that red clover can be cultivated with success in this

THE LOCUST TREE. THE NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, ETC.

ANNUAL MEETING, JANUARY, 1845

345

To Agricultural Writers and Farmers generally.

state. The land where it was sowed is far from | NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY being rich; four years since it was a worn out old field, and has had but little manure, and that applied to previous crops of corn and turneps. When preparing the ground for wheat, on which the clover was sowed, a two-horse turning plow was used, and a scooter plow run after in the furrow, as a substitute for a subsoil plow. A heavy iron-tooth harrow and roller followed, all of which I think very necessary to success in raising good crops of small grain and grass. I expect to seed ten acres with clover this fall, on part of which I shall sow red top with the clover. Sparta, Georgia, Aug. 1, 1844.

THE LOCUST TREE.

W. H. S.

THE annual convention of the New York State Agricultural Society, which will continue in session for several days about the middle of January proximo, will be occupied with the examination of many subjects highly important to the agricultural community and to citizens generally. The range of investigation (in the reports from committees, in the essays prepared by various writers, and in the remarks from sundry speakers), is designed to embrace all topics of leading interest in reference to such improvements as may better enable the farming community of this state to susOCCASIONALLY you have recommended the cul- tain itself under the competition generated by the tivation of the locust on plantations, and for shade. fertile and cheap lands of the west-such as imIt has been said that the locust will spread, so as provement in the character and management of to injure the tillage in the adjoining fields, and this stock-in the introduction and promotion of new deters many from planting it. 1 am told that, in branches of farming industry-in the application of New England, they are attempting its eradication science as a profitable auxiliary in various departfor this reason, and that even this is difficult, be- ments of rural industry, as well as in the compocause where a shoot is pulled up, each broken sition of manures and the cultivation of the soilroot will send up another. On account of the including, not least though last, the diffusion of freedom of the tree from insects, its general beauty agricultural and horticultural knowledge through of appearance, and its rapid growth, it is very de- the instrumentality of the public libraries and comsirable to cultivate it, especially for shade (where mon school organization. Sufficient is now known the Algerine custom of taking off all the forest from consultation with gentlemen most conversant trees has prevailed), if it can be done safely. I with these matters in different sections, to warrant have planted a few, which are growing so finely the undersigned in expressing a belief that the as to attract the attention of most passers; but approaching annual convention will concentrate have refrained from planting more, in consequence the efforts of the friends of agriculture in a manof the above suggested difficulty. Can you give ner eminently conducive to the great objects for your readers any certain information on this point? which agricultural organization is desirable. The (a) I would be glad to plant many this fall, being mornings and afternoons will be devoted to busisure they make the best shade for the farm gen-ness, at the agricultural Hall, in the Old State erally, if it is safe to do so. There are none old enough in this region to settle this matter. A SUBSCRIBER.

Ohio, August, 1844.

P. S. The spreading is said occurs in this way -the roots extend a great distance, and shoots will spring up, and these again extend roots, and throw shoots, till the lots adjoining are filled with them.

House, at Albany; and the evenings to sociable intercourse among the members of the state and county societies, and other friends of agriculture and horticulture from all sections of the state of New York, and from several neighboring states. The hospitality of the friends of the cause in and around Albany, the undersigned also feels warranted in saying, will be manifested liberally in providing comfortable quarters for gentlemen attending the convention on this interesting occasion. The multiplicity of business and the immense crowds at the state fair and cattle shows, render it impracticable on those occasions to convene the friends of agriculture as fully as desirable for deliberation, discussion, and sociability; and it is hoped and believed that the January convention will furnish opportunities for promoting these obPEACHES NOT ATTACKED BY THE CURCULIO.jects, to the satisfaction of agriculturists and friends In Mr. Parson's article, page 310 of our last number, he desires us to say, that peaches should not have been included among the fruits subject to be attacked by the curculio.

(a) We have never heard of the above objections to planting locusts before, though we have seen hundreds of acres of them. Will any of our readers answer as to this point? Locusts at the north have been greatly injured by the borer; but for the last few years it has nearly disappeared, and they are now flourishing finely.

FALL PLOWING.-If the land abound in clay, this is essentially necessary, as frost is a much better pulveriser of the soil than the harrow and roller. Besides, fall plowing exposes insects of most kinds to destruction. Sandy or light gravelly lands may be plowed in the spring.

who may honor the convention with their presence from this and other states.

It may be added that the agricultural meetings, commenced satisfactorily last winter, will be continued on each Thursday evening of the approaching winter; and friends of the cause generally are invited to attend, at the society's hall.

Among the business which will employ the time of the state society at the annual meeting, will be an examination and decision on the merits of the reports and essays and books on the various