No. 6. 



Cultivation of Locust Trees. 



J 93 



•ej 



on2[aged in sheep-farming were more pros- 

 perous than most otlier farmers. The New- 

 Leicester mutton bears, in my opinion, about 

 die same relation to tlie South-Down or to our 

 common Kentucky mutton, that the middling 

 of the hog does to the ham, and perhaps 

 might be useful here for the same purposes 

 for wiiich middlings are used. However 

 this may be, on a sandy soil the New Leices- 

 ter sheep is a capital laborer. Besides the 

 ereat value of his manure, which is equally 

 distributed by the practice of folding, the land 

 IS very much improved by the tramping and 

 packing and incorporation of the manure 

 with tiie soil effected with his feet, and which 

 is called in one word the management of the 

 land. 



Besides being fed to the New Leicester 

 sheep, the most artificial animal probably in 

 existence, the turneps raised on the farm on 

 which my observations were principally made, 

 were also fed in considerable quantities to the 

 idmired Short Horn Durham cattle. When 

 fed to these last, they are given about at the 

 rate of two or three bushels a day, together 

 with straw or hay to each full grown steer. 



The mode of farming above described, bor- 

 rowed originally from those excellent farm- 

 srs, the Flemish, would not entirely apply in 

 this part of the State, but in many parts of 

 Kentucky and the Union, particularly on 

 light sandy soils, the practice of a similar 

 system would effect a great change, and even 

 here some of its principles might be used 

 with advantage. 



In viewing the many beautiful farms with 

 which this district of Yorkshire abounds, that 

 were once considered worthless, I was in- 

 duced to believe that there is not so much 

 diflerence in the intrinsic value of land, as is 

 generally supposed. Some lands, deemed 

 dead for useful purposes, in fact only lie dor- 

 mant until the appropriate system is applied, 

 when they begin to reveal a wonderful and 

 unexpected fertility. 



The introduction of the turnep, suiting as 

 this root does her weeping climate and much 

 of her soil, has been of incalculable benefit to 

 England. It is now actually the case that 

 lands which rented for shillings, now rent for 

 pounds ; and what w-ere once barren wastes, 

 are now among the most profitable soils for 

 cultivation. Bones are conve3^pd from all 

 parts of the world to the ports of that coun- 

 try; Brazil has fiarnished a good supply, and 

 even the United States have conti'ibuted to 

 the crushing mills of Britain. I confess I 

 have never seen an account of vessels carry- 

 ing cut bones to Europe, without feeling 

 pained by the reflection that they were pre- 

 cisely the best manure for some of our own 

 lands. I have sometimes looked forward 

 with gratulation to the day when a regenera- 



tion shall be effected in certain parts of 

 America by skilful agriculture ; when tl^ose 

 parts of the Union, now deemed barren and 

 almost worthless, shall rise in the scale and 

 furnish their full quota of production. If tur- 

 neps will not suit the soil and climate of the 

 West, perhaps they would answer at the 

 East; and who would not rejoice to see the 

 sands of North Carolina, Virginia, New Jer- 

 sey, Delaware »and Maryland, covered with 

 countless flocks of sheep, an animal furnish- 

 ing as it does, both food and raiment, pre- 

 cisely the best suited for a dense population ! 

 Who would not be pleased to see the manu- 

 facture of wool more extensively prosecuted, 

 and the fabrics of American looms more gene- 

 rally used by a healthy, prosperous and happy 

 population ! 



But the great change effected in the con- 

 dition of England, and which might probably 

 be wrought by similar means in some sections 

 of the Union, has been produced, like a magi- 

 cal delusion, by the use of an easy system, 

 and is but one result of scientific agriculture. 

 Happy the day, when the soil shall be consi- 

 dered, as in truth it is, a great terra incog- 

 nit a, full of wonders and pregnant with un- 

 told blessings to mankind. 



I remain, dear sir, your ob't serv't, 



Henry Clay, Jr. 



For the Fanners' Cabinet. 



Cultivation of liocust Trees. 



Mr. Editor, — I am now ploughing a field 

 of ten acres of old worn out ground, which 

 has been lying idle for a number of years, for 

 the purpose of planting the same with the 

 Locust tree, not knowing the true method 

 to be pursued in the cultivation of the Locust. 

 I therefore have taken the liberty of address- 

 ing you upon the subject for information, 

 through the Cabinet, of the best mode and 

 time of planting, and tlie quantity of seed 

 per acre. 



Franklin Hand. 



Cape May C. H. 



We hope some of our correspondents or 

 friends will furnish the very desirable in- 

 formation, solicited by our friend Hand. The 

 sources from whence the supplies of this 

 valuable timber have been derived, are rapid- 

 ly diminishing ; while the demand, from the 

 extensive use made of it in the construction 

 of rail roads, &.c., is annually increasing. We 

 have no doubt those who have unoccupied 

 lands adapted to its growth, would find a 

 profitable investment by sowing it with the 

 Locust. 



