6 MARSH-MUD.-NEW YORK FARMERS' CLUB. leave little to desire; but unfortunately, the principles of comfortable, economical shelter are little studied, and much less practised than they should be. Many think when they have built their barn, and are able to tie up their stock at night, that everything is accomplished; whereas, they have only advanced in the first step. To be sure this is the most important one; yet we hold, in addition to the shelter of the stables at night, open sheds joining on to and running out from the barn, making at least three sides of a square, and enclosing commodious yards, are nearly as necessary for sunning and exercise by day, especially for the younger part of the stock. These may be made very cheap, with board roofs and sides; and if sawed stuff is difficult to be obtained, with logs rolled up for the sides, and well chinked and plas tered with clay, and poles over-laid with coarse hay or straw for a roof. Where timber is scarce, a stone wall, or an earth embankment may be thrown up six or seven feet high, or a double row of rails or light poles can be laid up three feet apart or so, and then filled in with coarse hay or straw for the wall shelter. The only objection to this is, that however poor the hay or straw, the stock, frequently from mere wantonness, will pull it out and devour it; but after remaining one year, it becomes musty and foul, and they are not apt to do so. Another great consideration in making sheds and yards, and having them well supplied with litter, is, that by keeping stock confined in them, all the manure, both solid and liquid, is saved; and in addition to their extra comfort, animals eat less and thrive better than when unprotected and suffered to roam at large. Water for drink, of as warm a temperature as can be obtained from a spring or well, ought to be bountifully supplied in the yard, and in such a manner as not to overflow and wet the ground or litter around. MARSH-MUD. By the application of marsh-mud mixed with marl, on quite ordinary land, Mr. Carmichael, of Queen Anne's county, Maryland, obtained the past year 1,026 bushels of wheat, weighing 60 lbs. to the bushel, upon 20 acres of land, being nearly 51 bushels to the acre. What the quality of his marl was, mixed with the mud, we are unable to say; though, we presume, it was like much of that of the highest fertilizing qualities which is found in Monmouth county, New Jersey, and is supposed to be the upheavings of the deposites of the ocean, or in other words, sea and marsh-mud. No better evidence of the great value of marshmud could be given than is shown in the production of this great crop of wheat; and we earnestly call attention to it again, being well satisfied that the value of marine deposites has hitherto been too generally overlooked; and that thousands of dollars have been paid out for city manure, by farmers near the seashore, which could have been saved had they understood the value of the highly fertilizing qualities of marsh and sea-mud. NEW YORK FARMERS' CLUB. Ir has been decided that these meetings shall take place hereafter on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, at 12 o'clock at noon, to conof the Repository of the American Institute in the tinue till 3 o'clock, P. M., at the Reading-Room Park. The place is central and commodious, and these hours are, upon the whole, considered the most convenient for the attendance of the members residing in the country. There is no ceremony of admission, nor charge whatever. Every one is free to come and go when he pleases. The Club-meetings are becoming of more interest and importance every month; and it is especially desired that all who feel an interest in the advancement of agriculture, whether they reside in the city or in the country, will attend, and furnish their quota of information. At the meeting on Tuesday, the 5th of December, Mr. Schuyler was called to the chair. Mr. Meigs offered a report, recommending Bommer's method of making manure. Mr. Wakeman presented a report, containing a Constitution and By-Laws for the Club, which was adopted. Mr. Carter, from the Committee on Grafts, reported that they recommend a suitable place be provided in this city for the deposite and preservation of grafts and buds, and that a suitable person be appointed to take charge of and to manage the concern; that one fourth of the grafts be given to the first applicants, and the remainder be sold to pay expenses; that persons sending likenesses of the fruit be taken in wax for presergrafts send also descriptions of the fruit, and that vation. The commitee also recommend that a good farm be procured in or near the city, where agriculture and horticulture might be carried on to employed on the farm without expense to the the best possible advantage, and that the poor be city, provided the corporation will give the land. Dr. Gardner's programme of Agricultural LecGeneral Tallmadge. It was ordered that the tures was read and strongly recommended by Club recommend the lectures to the public, and that the subject of allowing the use of the Hal! THE PRESENT WINTER. of the Repository for the lectures be referred to a committee. Commodore De Kay offered grafts from trees which bore the premium pears at the last Fair. Mr. Sewell presented some cuttings of grape vines. It was then ordered that the articles presented be mentioned, with the names of the donors, in a record of thanks to be kept by the Club. A communication on marl-manures and salt, from F. Mortimer Butler, was read. Mr. Stevens said that on Long Island salt as a manure was inefficient-attributable to the presence of sea-air. Colonel Clark remarked on the chemical influence of salt and lime. Mr. Boswell presented several kinds of apples, nearly all the growth of western New York. He then gave a few particulars on the cultivation of the cranberry and other fruits, which, as he has obligingly offered to furnish us more at length hereafter, we omit what was said at the Club. Dr. Gardner, General Tallmadge, and Mr. Stevens, entered into some discussion on the use of lime, the gist of which was, that when the ashes of vegetables and plants show lime in their analyses, it is good manure for them; that it is particularly valuable in destroying insects where used; and that it proves much more beneficial on clay than sandy soils. Dr. Gardner then spoke of the value of certain kinds of marl, especially for wheat-crops, when it contained a large proportion of potass. As one instance of its value, he stated that a gentleman in New Jersey not long since purchased a farm there for a trifling sum, and by using marl on it has now made it worth $100 an acre. He also discussed, with Mr. Stevens, the value of ashes-the latter stating that the farmers on Long Island found very little difference between the effects of those leached and unleached. Dr. Field made a report from the Committee on the Long Island Farms, which was read, accepted, and referred to the same committee, to prepare a memorial to the corporation of the city on that subject, viz., employment of the children, &c., in horticulture, agriculture, and growing and manufacturing of silk, &c., in connexion with their education. General Tallmadge read from the Burlington Silk Record Family Magazine a statement that Great Britain, without producing one pound of the raw material, imports the silk and manufactures it to the amount of $76,000,000 per annum, and employs in this business more than 400.000 operatives-and pays to the silk-weavers alone little short of $14,000,000 per annum. A letter from Dr. Stebbins, of Northampton, on Pongee silk, was read and referred to a committee on silk from mulberry-bark. Mr. Baker, of Rahway, N. J., exhibited a map of his farm, and stated that on the drained land he obtained, without any manure, 32 bushels of wheat per acre, and the heaviest crop of grass. He drained twenty acres. Mr. Baker exhibited his draining-tools, and explained their use. They are simple, and well adapted to their purpose. Mr. Wakeman then moved that six subjects be 7 proposed for discussion, from which the Club shall select for the next meeting. The second monthly meeting of the Farmers' members were present. Colonel E. Clark was Club took place on Tuesday, December 19. Forty called to the chair. A letter from J. Torman, Esq., of Cecilton, Md., to the president of the Club, was read. Mr. Torman is eighty-six years of age, and expresses a high degree of interest in agricultural improve ment. A letter from James De Peyster, Esq., was read. He states that he has raised the Egyptian corn for eight years past; it gives 80 to 100 bushels per acre-makes as good cakes as Indian meal or buckwheat, and is as good for poultry and cattle; culture of it strongly recommended by Mr. De Peyster. A general conversation now took place on birds and their usefulness in destroying insects-insects in general-the disease of the potato-blight of the barberry-bush, &c., &c., which we regret to say we have not space to report at full length. Mr. Chapman exhibited some Dorking fowls recently imported by him from England. Guano Manure.-Commodore De Kay stated that he had seen mounds of it on the Florida islands. Colonel Clark thought that the islands on our eastern coast should be examined for it. Dr. Gardner said that fossil guano existed in three localities in the state of New York. Reports were made by Commodore De Kay on timber, Dr. Gardner on the communication of Mr. Butler, on the influence of sea-water on marshes containing shells, &c. The Club then adjourned, to meet on Tuesday, the 2d of January. THE PRESENT WINTER. We observe that our respected cotemporary, the Prairie Farmer, prophesies the present winter will be more severe than the past was, therein differing from the opinion expressed by us page 267 of our last volume. The forepart of December, 1843, was not near as cold and snowy as the same month for 1842, while the latter part has been the complete antipodes in this latitude of that of last year; being warm, sunny, foggy, and rainy, with a snow-shower or two which melted nearly as fast as it fell; indeed, the month has been of more than average mildness; we are, therefore, correct in our prognostication for at least one third of the time. Our opinions are based upon what we think philosophical principles, although we can not be certain that we are right till we have more experience and observation. These principles will be found explained page, 177 of Vol. I. In return, we should be obliged if the Prairie Farmer would state its reasons why it thinks the present winter will be colder than the last. The 8 DISEASE IN POTATOES.-ANNUAL MEETING OF THE N. Y. STATE AG. SOCIETY.- weather is an important matter to the farmer, and DISEASE IN POTATOES. WE hear many complaints in various parts of the country, of a disease in potatoes, which causes them to rot with great rapidity, and throw off a very disagreeable smell. All those with whom we have conversed on the subject, attribute this disease to the excessively hot, dry weather of June and July, followed by long protracted rains, which set in the first part of August, continuing the remainder of the summer and during the fall; thus checking the root in the first instance, and then giving it a watery, forced growth, so long and late, as to prevent the potato properly ripening. In this diseased state they have been found very injurious fed to stock; occasionally, even causing death. No better remedy is yet found to prevent the spread of the rot among potatoes, than spreading them out on a dry floor in a warm building, so thin as not to touch. But when the disease has broken out in a heap of potatoes, even this precaution to save them often proves abortive, and will scarcely pay for the trouble of doing it. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE N. Y. STATE AG. SOC. THE annual meeting of the New York State Agricultural Society, will be held at the Society's room in the Old State Hall, Albany, on the third Wednesday, (the 17th,) of January, 1844, at 10 o'clock, A. M. Persons intending to compete for the Society's premiums on field-crops, essays, &c., are reminded that their statements and essays must be sent to the Recording Secretary, Albany, before the first of January. Presidents of County Agricultural Societies are also requested to transmit the reports required by the statute, to the Recording Secretary, previous to the annual meeting. LUTHER TUCKER, Rec. Sec'y. We hope to see a full attendance at the above meeting, for, in addition to the annual doings of the Society, several interesting and important proceedings are anticipated. Among these, we understand a memorial is to be got up, praying the legislature to extend the $8,000 now annually giv | en to Agricultural Societies for five years, to an indefinite length of time. We wish the amount be scarcely over half a cent for each inhabitant in might be increased to $15,000 annually. It would the state, and is a boon small enough to ask for the benefit of the most important interest of the country. ed, we think we ought now to have an AgriculThe geological survey of the state being finishtural survey; and this should be conducted by men who unite the theory and science with the practical part of agriculture and stock-breeding. High School should not be lost sight of in the proThe founding of an Agricultural College or ceedings of the society; and we think it important that a memorial be drawn up and presented to the legislature, asking aid for the same. Some of the arrangements for the next annual show ought to be altered, especially those of classbe exhibited hereafter among themselves. We ing animals of distinct breeds together. Let them respectfully suggest also to the society, to appoint a publication committee, whose duty it shall be to revise its transactions and those of the county societies, and cut off the verbiage which it is only a waste of ink and paper to print and bind up in its volumes. Most of the engravings in the last volume were disgraceful to the art, and absolute caricatures of the fine animals attempted to be delineated. We hope we shall see no more such. The Breeders' Convention have another meeting, at the same time with the State Society, and if they conclude to give a scale of points for the future guide of the American breeder, they should weigh will have a most pernicious effect in the country. well their proceedings, as a single erroneous move QUANTITY OF BUTTER MADE FROM MILK.-We find that cows vary from one tenth to one thirtieth that is, every 100 lbs. of the milk of one cow, in the quantity of butter produced from their milk; will yield 10 lbs. of butter, while others will only give 33 lbs. of butter from the same quantity. SCALDED MILK FOR BUTTER.-In the Boston ham, scalds his milk during the winter season after Plowman, we notice that Mr. Johnson of Framingdrawing it from the cow, and then sets it away in the usual manner. The butter made from the cream is as yellow, sweet, and solid, as if made in makers in this vicinity, with the same effects as June. The same thing is done by all good butterdetailed by Mr. Johnson. VIRGINIA LANDS.-Considerable interest having ing the eligibility of these lands for emigration, been excited among our northern people regardtions on their localities-present condition-means we shall feel much indebted by any communicaof improvement within reach, such as marl, lime, peat, and muck, for renovating them-price-climate, &c., &c. We regret to say that our correspondent G. A. C., in our last volume, has been so occupied with settlement, that he has not had time yet to forward his promised communication. But there must be gentlemen enough at leisure, in the good Old Dominion, who will gladly furnish CHANGE OF THE QUALITY OF FRUITS AT THE WEST. us information on these interesting topics. We MISCELLANEOUS. are quite confident that parts of Maryland, Vir--Our excellent friend John Fitz, in the Prairie ginia, and the upper country of the Carolinas, offer as great inducements for settlement to our northern people, as any sections of the United States; good lands there, with more or less improvements, may be had from $5 to $10 per acre, and farms with buildings, from $15 to $30. Some lands may be bought as low as $2 per acre. climate is so mild, that stock need be foddered only two to three months out of the year. GenThe eral Washington, in a letter we believe to Mr. Sinclair, asserted that sheep, even no farther south than Mount Vernon, would usually pick up a good living from their pastures all the year round. OIL DESTRUCTIVE TO PLUM-TREES.-Mr. David Tomlinson of Schenectady, informs us, that two of his neighbors lost quite a number of valuable plum-trees the past year, by applying oil to caterpillars in the spring, to destroy them, as they had seen recommended in some publication. BOMMER'S PATENT METHOD OF MAKING MANURE. We are repeatedly asked about the above method of making manure, and whether the patent is worth purchasing. We have the best authority for saying, that the only patent granted, is to Messrs. Baer & Gouliaet of Baltimore, the improvement claimed in which is this: "What we claim as our improvement on Jauffret's method of forming manure, by the rapid fermentation of vegetable fibres, is, first the forming of the said vegetable matter into piles or heaps, without its being first immersed in the prepared lye, and the subsequently saturating the same by the pouring on the lye in the manner set forth. Farmer, informs us that several kinds of fruits which are considered first rate here, become worthless on being transplanted to the west. This we know to be a fact from our own taste and observation in those parts which we have visited. He recommends growing naturals there, and seappears. This is a capital idea, and if carried into effect, Illinois may one of these days send us seedlecting from the choicest varieties when the fruit ling fruits equal to any of our own choice productions. There is nothing like cultivating the internal resources of one's own country, and no one is stronger in this principle than ourselves. erroneous articles lately in the papers, on the history and improvement of these celebrated animals, SHORT-HORN CATTLE.--We meet with so many that it is our intention to commence in our next a series of numbers on this subject, wherein we shall in print. give a fuller, and as we hope, a truer and more complete account of them than has yet appeared this periodical. It is paged by itself, and in the INDEX TO VOLUME II.-This index was printed folding of the number, occupies the eight middle on the same sheet as the last No. of Vol. II., of as usual, when these eight pages of index will be found detached by themselves, and should be pages. It is only necessary to cut open the leaves placed in front of the volume when it comes to be bound. VOLUMES I. AND II. OF THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, with tables of contents complete, are now highly entertaining books. They are more elebound and ready for delivery. The farmer's libragantly got up than anything of the kind ever isry will be incomplete without these instructive and sued from the American press. cles in the present number, of considerable length, which must be treated at length to do them proper CHARLES BAER, The lye, the main thing above, is not patented. JOHN GOULIAET." Mr. Bommer's "patent" is simply this, and no more, viz: he has purchased of Messrs. Baer & Gouliaet the right for some of the states, of making manure-heaps as set forth in their patent above. The public believe Mr. Bommer has a patent, and they dare not use the ingredients without paying the sum demanded for the invention. Whether this is worth ten dollars, every one now must judge for himself. As for Mr. Bommer's "new process," as he terms it, of making manure, the general principles of it have long been practised in France, and pretty much all that is valuable in it will be found in an extract from the Farmers' Mine, by Mr. Heermance, under the head of "New method of making Manure," page 164 of our last volume. Mr. Bommer's method is undoubtedly a good one, and if he gave it in a book at a reasonable price, it would be worthy of purchase. paying 75 cents for the Farmers' Mine, the public cles are deferred till our next, we wishing to make DEFERRED ARTICLES.-Tour in England, No. 17, will get about as much useful knowledge as they as much room as possible for correspondence. By Sketches in the West, No. 3, and several other arti can obtain from the patent of Mr. Bommer for $10. We should not have taken any notice of this subject, except to answer frequent inquiries, and did we not perceive how much public attention has been drawn to this patent right, by the communications of Mr. Bommer, which have recently appeared in several of our agricultural papers. recollected that our terms are cash in advance; simply, and to the pure blood only of the race under process of improvement, have the master spirits in breeding succeeded to a triumphant degree. It is high time that all this "twaddle," for I can call it by no more appropriate name, about "foreign crosses" was exploded by persons THIS valuable and interesting race of animals, in their purity, are but little understood in the United States. The fine red cattle of New Eng-pretending to any sense. Why, where existed land, a class almost sufficiently distinguished to warrant their assuming a local cognomen of their own, are supposed by many to be descended from the ancient Devons, so near do they resemble them in many valuable characteristics; and no doubt this opinion gathers weight from the fact, that the first settlers of Plymouth, in Massachusetts, and the adjacent country, sailed from Devonshire, in England, from which it is concluded that the Devons were the original stock brought out with those early adventurers. This, however, is but mere inference, as the Devons, in their purity, are not widely spread through all Devonshire. Still the best native cattle of New England show evident marks of consanguinity with them; and we may at least suppose, that from the many importations of valuable foreign stock made from the counties of Hereford and Devon, within the last fifty years, the best New England cattle have obtained a strong dash of those valuable breeds. Indeed, the impression is almost universal among those not quite well informed in the matter, that red cattle, generally, are Devons, although they engross all manner of style, fashion, and quality. Than such vague supposition, nothing can be more untrue; and all this "public opinion," or "indefinite notion," to the contrary, the true North Devon is as distinct in his style and character as any race of neat cattle whatever. ORIGIN.-The Devon is styled by some of the best English cattle authors as an aboriginal breed, and is supposed to be a race as old as the Roman invasion of that island, and from the earliest dates, the clean-limbed red cattle of Devon and Cornwall have been celebrated in British annals. For the past century, since the general improvement of their agriculture has attracted the attention of the English nation, the peculiar ancient breeds of cattle have received especial care. Among these, the Devons have been conspicuous; and skilful breeders, selecting from the best forms and blood of this beautiful race, by the application of correct and scientific rules, have brought them to a perfection excelled by no other class of British cattle. the great excellence of these "foreign" animals that men so successfully used in this "happy cross;" and where are now these immaculate paragons that so improved our present peerless Devons, Short-Horns, and others?-or do they go upon the wonderfully sapient principle that two defective animals of different blood and breeds, when crossed upon each other, will produce an excellence in figure and quality superior to both, and which the proper cultivation of neither, in itself, would produce? Out upon such absurdity! We have no evidence of highly valuable and permanent improvement being made upon any breed of domestic animals by the use of these, which were not "native, and to the manner born," unless of a race superior to the one sought to be improved. Such were the progenitors of the magnificent Short-Horns of Northumberland, Durham, and Yorkshire; the massive and stately LongHorns of Lancashire, and of Ireland; and the beautiful, active, and vigorous Devons of the south of England, long before those eminent breeders, the Collings, the Bakewells, or the Somervilles, were known; and in no instance have "foreign crosses" with inferior breeds been adopted, however plausible they appeared at first, but, in the long run, have been condemned and discarded by all thoroughly scientific breeders. I do not pretend to say, that, for certain purposes, domestic animals may not be mixed in blood to great benefit for adaptation to certain soils, climates, and purposes. This they most certainly can; but with the present imposing array of thorough-bred animals before us, none but a desperate and clearly Utopian advocate of improvement will attempt to create a new and a standard breed, by sinking either of the present highly established races into one of a baser or degraded kind. It should, therefore, be the aim of every breeder to level up his domestic stock as near perfection in the peculiar characteristics required as possible, without seeking to degrade that which is already good by an association with downward tendencies. But to the Devons. It is not my present purpose to discuss how, or by what means the improvement of these, or any Here let me digress for a moment to remark other of our valuable domestic animals have been upon the strange and absurd notion, for it is made by the skill of their breeders-this belongs nothing but a notion, that so many of our Ameri- to an essay of another kind; suffice it to say, it has cans have imbibed regarding improvement in been done in this ancient race to a degree certainbreeding domestic animals. It seems to be sup-ly equal to that attained with any breed whatever, posed by these calculating people, that all which is excellent to a high degree in the present improved farm stock, has been brought in by a "foreign cross," or by the peculiar hocus pocus of some "wizard" breeder, through whose magic wand these wonderful improving influences were brought about, instead of the practice of certain, true, and inalienable physiological principles, which alone constitute improvement. To those and without resort to any other blood, and it may without hesitation be asserted, that no race of animals in existence show more distinct, permanent, and long-established blood-like qualities than the Devon. DESCRIPTION. In size the Devon is medium, and compares with the native cattle of our country when lean; but with a greater aptitude to take on flesh when fed, and a much higher de |