190 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR 



Value of Ashes.— Professor Jackson, in one 

 of his lertures in Boston, in ilhistratine Hie man- 

 ner ill wliich soils might be rendered fertile, says, 

 tlitit "a farm within liis knowledge, wliich was a 

 blowing sand, a pine barren, and almost hopeless, 

 on which ten bushels of corn to the acre could 

 scarcely be grown, by the judicious application of 

 ashes, had been made to produce forty or fifty 

 bushels to the acre." We do not question the 

 correctness of Dr. Jackson's statements. Our ob- 

 servation has convinced us that on sandy soils, 

 with the exception of clay marl, there is nothing 

 more beneficial in the application to such soils, 

 than ashes; and fortunately, unless uncommon 

 quantities of acid exist in such soils, leached 

 ashes are nearly as beneficial as unleached ones. 

 Ashes do what lime cannot: they render the 

 soil more tenacious of moisture, and although 

 their action is not as prompt or efficient on our 

 cold soils, they are, for the reason assigned, con- 

 sidered as valuable on light sandy ones. Of this 

 fact the farmers on the light soils of Long Island 

 and New Jersey are well aware, and in the gath- 

 ering and application of ashes, find a certain 

 source of profit. — Cultivator. 



Wool.— The editor of the Yankee Farmer 

 speaking ofthe various causes which have ope 

 rated to reduce the prices of wool, the raising of 

 which is admirably adapted to the climate and 

 soil of New England, reckons among the most 

 important, the evasion ofthe law respecting du- 

 ties, by which importations, probably tb large 

 amounts, have been made without duty, when a 

 high duty should have been paid according to the 

 law. We are told that the fine wool which is 

 subject to a duly of 32 per cent, and four cents 

 per pound in ad'dition, is imported free of duty 

 by adding tags, sand and dirt, so as to reduce its 

 value, in the foreign country to less than eight 

 cents per pound, as the law imposes no duty on 

 wool that cost less than eight cents a pound.— 

 In this way, fine wool, that would cost 17 cents 

 per pound "in a foreign port, and is subject to a 

 duty of 40 per cent, and 4 cents besides on a 

 pound, is brought into our country, with the ad- 

 mixture of waste and dirt,/ree from duly. Under 

 the pi-ovision for the importation of coarse cheap 

 wool, fine wool is brought in free by evasion of 

 the law. 



We agree with the editor of thd Farmer, that 

 the law should be so constructed that it cannot 

 be so easily evaded, that the wool-grower may 

 have the protection intended. It is suggested 

 that a duty imposing a per centage on foreign 

 wool, uccordinsr to the value in this country, wourd 

 be free from tiie evil to which the present law 

 is liable. Farmers should see to this subject and 

 petition to Congress to pass a law more efficient 

 in its design. — Boston Mercantile Journal. 



From the Farmer's Cabinet. 

 The Cabinet. 



READ, AND LEARN TO BE WISE. 



Mr. F,i>iToR,~Having been a subscriber for the Far- 

 mers' t'abinet I'rom the beginning, 1 tliink it right to in- 

 form you that f am delighted with your labours. The 

 magnificent style in whicli the late numbers have been 

 adorned with tlie portraits of some of the finest animals 

 in the country, is above all praise. You give us too much 

 for our money ; some single numbers are worth a whole 

 year's subscription. From what 1 have said, however, 

 yod ai-e,nnt to suppose I wish you to relax in your exer- 

 tions, but to express a hope that the farmer everywhere 

 will patronise a work which is so well worthy their atten- 

 tion. Only think of the good done by it to the young 

 people in our families, girTs, as well as boys, for they all 

 rea4 it with avidity, and are doubtless made wiser and 

 better by your labours. The only way in which our agri- 

 culture isto be improved is by instructing the rising gen- 

 eration in ti\G principles as well as the practice ofthe art. 



Old folks are apt to think they know enough already, 

 although they may actually be very ignorant, but the 

 young ones are the stutf that will take a new impression 

 most easily, and there the result of your labours will be 

 most conspicuous. The day is now gone by, never to 

 return again I trust, when farmers think it useless to re- 

 cord their own experience or to read the experience of 

 others. 



We are rapidly becoming a thinking people, and people 

 who reason and think, like to be informed of the reason- 

 ings and thoughts of others in the line of their profession. 

 iDoctors and lawyers have their books, detailing the 

 practice and opinions and judgments of those who have 

 preceded them, as well as of their contemporaries ; me- 

 chanics and artists have their books, furnishing all 

 the current improvements in their respective occupations; 

 and why should not farmers, who furnish subsistence for 

 the whole of them, have their books too ? Go aliead, tell 

 lis all about horticulture and domestic economy, and the 

 principles which govern them, and though some of us 

 perhaps may be conceited or ignorant enough to suppose 

 we want no further instruction, yet I am sure your labours 

 will not be lost on a people who are daily increasing in 

 intelligence, and are annually adding to their wealth. 



B. F. 

 Bucks County, Nov. 1840. 



Sheep. — A correspondent wishes us to caution 

 the farmers of that section, against selling their 

 sheep to the butchers at alow rate, in the expect- 

 ation thai they will be able another season to re- 

 plenish their flocks at a similarly low price. He 

 says wool is advancing, and that the demand for 

 woolen goods is increasing. — ^ilb. Cultivator. 



Abel Bbker, Esq. of this town lalely slaugh- 

 tered a hog which was bought July 95th, weigh- 

 ing 145 lbs. and was killed Nov. yOth, weighing 

 alive, 420 ; having gained in 117 days, 275 lbs. or 

 nearly 2 lbs. 55 oz. per day. 



Hon. Warbe.n Lovell, writing from Meredith 

 siiys: — "I slaughtered a hog yesterday (Dec. 16) 

 eighten months old, which weighed six hundred 

 and sixty pounds." This we believe is the larg- 

 est hog we have heard of this season. 



From the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 manure. 



ENRICH THE SOIL ANb PROSPERITY FOLLOWS. 



Mr. Editor, — .Manure is the capital ofthe farmer, 

 and without it little can be done in the farming line to 

 profit. Kvery one ought, therefore, to be on the .alert to 

 increase the quantity .'by every means in his power, for 

 there is nothing that compounds interest like manure. If 

 anv one disputes this, let him make a fair experiment and_ 

 see if the result don't prove its truth. Take an acre of 

 ground and give it a good dose, and compare it with an 

 adjoining acre, previously in a similar i-n.>dit,oi., nnJ then 

 there will be no mistake. Put in the bottom of the dung- 

 yard some absorbent material to take up the fluids, occa- 

 sionally spread over the whole surface a layer of earth, 

 sods from the road-side or a ditch bank, .and bring in all 

 the weeds, potato stalks, leaves, spent ashes, the manure 

 from the poultry roost, and every other oflal material, 

 either animal or vegetable, that can be collected togeth- 

 er. Every little helps, anil of little things great ones are 

 composed. The manure-heap is the fonfidation of all 

 good farming, and those who do not attend to this most 

 essential matter, will fail in proportion to their neglect in 

 all the operations of the farm. It is no small matter to 

 raise 40 to 60 bushels of corn to the acre, instead of 20 or 

 Sii, or othercrops in the same proportion, the labour being 

 the same. I have long noticed thai thriving farmers go 

 on progressively increasing the quantity of manure annu- 

 ally, and those who are going down hill, are generally 

 ]ireceded in their downward progress by a gradual collapse 

 of the dung-hill. Keep up your manure heap, and, as if 

 bv sympathetic action, your purse will swell amazingly. 

 Manure begets grain and grass, and grain and grass beget 

 more manure ; and so on to the end of the chapter of 

 prosperity. No manure, but little grain or grass, and little 

 grain and grass tends to les.s and less, tdl the county 

 poor-house seems as if it had seated itself next neighbour 

 Ui our bare field3. O. 



Montgomery County, Nov. 'iO, lUlO. 



Advantages of Planting. — " I knew a certain old 

 military officer who, during his early years, was a captain 

 in a militia regiment ; his brother officers were a gay set of 

 fallows and were continually drawing on their private in- 

 comes, often coming to him to borrow money ; but he 

 made it a rule never to spend more than his own pay, and 

 as to money he had none to lend. He went down to his 

 estate every spring and autumn, and planted as many acres 

 of trees .is his rental would allow him, his planting giving 

 him a perpetual plea of poVerty. .\t a certain period, he 

 retired on his half-pay ; a large family wis growing up 

 around him, but his woods were growing too. Many a 

 time have I seen him, mounted on an old brood mare, with 

 a sort of capacious game-bag across her loins^ with his 

 gun slung at his shoulder, his saws and pruning knives 

 strapped behind his saddle, going aw.ay into his woods ; 

 and I can imagine the profound satisfaction which the old 

 gentleman, through a long course of years must have felt 

 in the depths of his forest solitudes ! He is still living at 

 an advanced age ; his family is large, and has been expen- 

 sive, but his woods are large also, iiiid no doubt their thin- 

 nings have proved very grateful thinnings of his family 

 charges." — I/owitt. 



THE MARKETS. 



A Horseman's Secret. — We yesterday saw a 

 horse that refused to draw, started off without 

 difficulty, by tj ing a string tightly round his ear 

 closely to his head. 



A pig raised and slaughtered by F. J. White 

 of Candia, nine months and one week old, Weigh- 

 ed after being dressed, 305 lbs. 



BOSTOJN MARKET, DEC. 22. 



COTTON — The accounts per Acadia have caused no 

 alteration whatever either in prices or demand. The mar- 

 ket is quiet with no sales of consequence making. 



FLOl'R — The demand is limited, with small sales at 

 last week's prices ; 200bbls Philadelphia sold at 5 37 per 

 bbi.eodays. 



GR.\IN — Prices of Corn are more firm, owing to small 

 arrivals. Sales of white at 5Gc, yellow 58c, Delewire 

 Oats, 34c. 



MOLASSES— Sales of 3 a 400 hhds Cuba distilling at 

 19.Jc,and 200 do. sweet for retailing, 21c per gall. 



SUG.ARS — -\re in good demand, and prices well sus- 

 tained. 



NEW YORK MARKET— Dec. 19. 



ASHES— Botli sorts are steady at g5 13 per 100 lbs. 

 with but a moderate demand. 



COTTON — The market has been firm, but on tlie last 

 days very quiet. The sales are — 



950 bales Upland and Florida, at 9 alOJc. 



450 do Mobile, at 9ialll 



400 do New Orleans, at 9jallJ 



Fair Upland is lO^alO^e lb. 



COFFEE— Sales of 1500 bags Rio Janeiro, at lO^alUc ; 

 300 do Gov. Java, at lajc ; 1000 St. Domingo, chiefly Tor 

 exportation, at 9a9Jc lb, cash ; 450 Laguayra, at lOallc, 

 and 150 bag? Cuba, at lOallc. 



FISH — 'fhere have been no arrivals and there is but 

 little demand. 66 casks damaged Cod sold at about 

 ^'2 62^ ; Mackerel are extremely scarce, and pickled Cod, 

 Scale Fish and Herring, very plenty ; and although sales 

 are constantly making, prices rather droop. 



MOL.\SSES — There was no sales of importance. 



OILS — Whale is scarce at 31 cts ; .\m. Linseed is sel- 

 ling, as wanted, at 70 cts. cash ; Sperms arc steady in 

 price. 



S-\LT — A cargo of Turks Island was sold on Saturday 

 at about 32c bush.; 2000 bags common Liverpool at 145c 

 each. 



SEEDS^Fla.\se<!d tontinues to advance ; rough may 

 now be quoted at J^IO a 10,25 tee ; Cloverseed 9i^ a 10 

 cts lb. 



SUGARS — There is yet very little stock of Muscovado 

 of anv sort ; 350 hhds old and new crop Orleans sold at 

 6^ a 7j cents lb; 150 St. Croix at 8^ a 95 cts ; 200 boxes 

 brown Cuba at 7^ a Si} cts lb ; 600 do white at 9^ a lOJ 

 cts ; IGOO cantars Canton white on terms not public. 



Sl'ICES— Pepper is dull. 500 lbs Nutmegs, first qual- 

 ity, sold at SO c, tim ; 350 bags Jamaica Pimento, part for 

 export, at5:Jc, cash, and 5^0, Gni; 10,000 mats Cassia, 

 per Niantic. sold by auction on Friday at 31 c lb. 



TE.\S — Prices continue advancing. 

 WOOL — There is very little going on. 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



A aiONTIlLV NEWSPAPER, IS PUBLISHED BV 



JOHN M. HILL. 



HiWs Brick Block., Concord, .V. H. 



GENERAL AGE.\TS, 



B. COOKE, A'cCTif, N. H. 



TH. R. HA.MPTON, Washington City, D. C. 



JOHN MARSH, Washinclon St. Boston. 



CH \RLES WARREN, Bnnlcy Rou\ Worcester, Mass. 



A. H. STILLWELL, Ao. \, Market Sqaarc, Prov R.J. 



The \'isitor will be iss'ied on the last day of each month. 



TERMS. "To single subscribers, Sevcniy^Jive cents; 

 'i'hree copies for Two Dollars ; — Ten copies for ^ix Dol- 

 lars : — Twenty-five copies for Fifteen Dollars. 



The twelve numbers embracing the year 1839, or the 

 first volume of the Visitor, arc offered as a premium for 

 every ten new subscribers obtained and paid for by one 

 person. 



Subscribers may commence at theirelection, either with 

 the January or July number, in each year. An Index and 

 '"Title Page will accompany each half year. 



[JJ' Communications by mail will be directed to the 

 Publisher, Concord, N. H. 



Power Press ..E. M.\NSUR, Printer. 



BRIGHTON MARKET— il/ondai/, December 21, 1840. 

 (Reported for the Daily Advertiser and Patriot.) 



At market G20 Beef Cattle, 200 Stores, 2400 Sheep, 

 and GO Swine. 



Prices — Bc^ Cattle — Our quotations last week for the 

 first and second qualities were not so high as they should 

 have been, and we quote still higher to-day. First quality 

 55 75 a G ; second quality ^5 a 5 50 ; third quality ^Z a 

 4 50. 



Barreling Cattle — Prices have not advanced on Barrel- 

 ing Cattle, and we quote the same. Mess ^4 25 a 5 ; No. 

 1 Si 75. No. 2 S3- 



Stores — .\ few sales only were noticed. 



;SV,cfj)— Sales quick. Lots at gl 50, 1 75, g2, 2 33, 

 and 2 75 — wethers, 3 50 and JJ4. 



Swine — .\ small number opiy were at market, conse- 

 quently no large lots were sold : a small lot of Barrows at 

 5, and a lot at 5.J. At retail from 4^ to G. 



NEW YORK CATTLE MARKET, DEC. 21. 

 [Reported for the JoUrnal of Commerce.] 



.\t market 850 head of beef cattle, including .W lef\ 

 over last week, 110 milch cows, and 2400 sheep and lambs. 



Thert? was a fair demand for beet\ and 800 head were 

 taken at from gG to ^8 — averaging $1 the 100 lbs. 



Milch Cows were mostly sold at 20, 30, 40, and g43 

 each. 



Sheep and Lambs were in good demand, and all sold ;— » 

 sheep at I 75, jjland 5 50; lambs at 1 25, S3, and 4 each. 



