1837] 



F A R M iO R S' R li: G I S V E R . 



49 



THE FLOUR RIOTERS OF NEW YORK. 



The Journal of Commerce, of New York, in repub- 

 lishing our remarks (p. 740, vol. 4, Far. Reg.) on the 

 late mob, and the progress and expected consequences 

 of the mobbish spirit now working in that city, intro- 

 duces the extract by the loilowing words : — 



"The sagacious editor of the Farmers' Register, ap- 

 pends the annexed remarks to a notice of tlie late ilour 

 riot in this city. What will he say, when he learns tliat 

 tha as:grcgate punishment awarded to all the rioters, is 

 thirty dollars fine, and ten months imprisonment? Such 

 a mockery of justice was never before witnessed in this 

 country." 



Our answer to t!ie question is, that this astonishing 

 degree of indulgence siiown to even the poor wretches 

 who liad been made the scape-goats of greater scoun- 

 drels, in addition to the entire impunity of their leadfrs, 

 proves that the cit)' of iVew York is ah'eady more ripe, 

 far more advanced in the awful course that we had an- 

 ticipated and predicted, than was supposed when those 

 remarks were written. A symptom as alarming as any 

 other is presented in the facts, that since the noted ex- 

 hibition of their iniluence and strength in the flour riot, 

 Jakes, Ming, and the otlier prominent leaders on that 

 occasion, so far from being punished by the laws, or 

 shrinking in silence to tiieir former ^obscurity to 

 avoid the sight and censure of honest men, evidently 

 triumph in their present notoriety. The same names 

 have since been continually thrust conspicuously be- 

 fore the public — and they have figured as insulting pe- 

 titioners to the legislature, proud of their charged con- 

 tempt of its authority — as orators and resolution oti'er- 

 ers at late public meetings — and finally, Jakes is the 

 candidate chosen in public meeting of the mob or 

 plunder party, for the office of maj^or of the great 

 city of New York. From their whole course sinr.e 

 the memorable day of the flour riot, it is manifest ihat 

 the leaders consider their position bstore the public as 

 one of high gratification, gain, and triumph. 



EXTRACT FROM PROi^SJ ;OU DUCATCL S !>AST 

 REPORT OP THE GIi^OLOaiCA^ SURVij^V OF 

 MARYLAXD. 



On the present coni'dion 'if jJgriculture la Cabcrt 

 county, and the rma:i3 of improving it. 



It has already been stated that most ofihe soi! 

 of Calvert, which is a sandy loam, is kind and 

 easily improved. When properly tended, it pro- 

 duces tobacco oi" a fine qualify, heavy crops of 

 oats, to wliich it is pecuiiariy well adap.eda& well 

 as to corn and rye. Good wlieat crops have a'so 

 been raised on the stiflerand more clayey soils that 

 occur in some parts of the county, but more espe- 

 cially on the flat lands of the Patuxent. Hither- 

 to, the root crops, for other than domestic con- 

 sumption, have been totally neglected, and tobac- 

 co, though the most laborious and the most e.-c- 

 pensive to cultivate, is considered the most valua- 

 ble product, and is the s'ajjle commodity of the 

 county. 



The only means of improving the soil that has 

 as vet been resorted lo, is in the use ofplasterand 



Vol. V— 7 



clover, which on the greater number of planta- 

 tions, has been a very elficient one, and has con- 

 tributed largely towards increasing their products. 

 It is fortunate that this system, however lardy in 

 its adoption, should hiU'C gained liuor with the 

 planters of Calvert, with whom if is now very 

 generally adopted; but serviceable as if has been, 

 it is confidently asserted that the county possesses 

 ill its marl beds, a mineral resource of infinitely 

 more value. Jt may be a matter of immense im- 

 portance therefore to its agricultuai mteresls to 

 prove this assertion. 



There are several things to be consiilered in the 

 use ol' plaster, that diminishes its value, when 

 compared will) lime or marl; namely, its cost, iis 

 limited appiication to certain soils, its uncertainly 

 as dependent upon seasons, and tlie want ol per- 

 manency, not only in its efa-cts, but in its eiHcacy 

 aller a |;roionged ap[)lication. 



From the best inlbrmation that could be obiain- 

 ed, It ar'pears Ihat the plaster system imposes 

 upon tiii^ planter an annual expenditure of no less 

 than tioo d-nuirs for every acre under cultivation. 

 True it is that this expense is more than repaid 

 by the increasi-d productiveness imparted by its 

 use to thes'.jil ; but there is no desire to depreciate 

 its value, considered abstractedly. On the contra- 

 ry, it lias already been admitted to have rendered 

 important services; and by no means is it intend- 

 ed to advise its abandonment altogether., nor even 

 to give it to be understood that one system is to 

 supersede entirely the other. It will be sufficient 

 to show, for the present, that marling under ex- 

 isting circumstances, is the less expensive, and the 

 more profitable operation. This will more satis- 

 flictoiiiy appear, by considering the other compa- 

 rative disadvantages of the plaster system. 



Every planter knows that plaster cannot be ap- 

 plied to all soils, not even to those which, under or- 

 dinary circumstances, he -is far from considering 

 steril. I'hus it will not answer on very sandy 

 soil, nor on verv slilf clayey soils, nor on wet 

 lands. 



Plaster u'ill not act beiieficially in very wet sea- 

 sons, nor during a prolonged drought. 



The eftecis of plaster, in the quantity usually 

 employed, are experienced only by the crop to 

 which it has been applied; every renewal of the 

 crop rcfpiiiing a repetition of'the mineral. 



Finally, it has been confid'mtly asserted by in- 

 telligent farmers in some portions of the state, 

 where the use of plaster and clover dates as fiir 

 back as fifiy years, that it is no longer found to be 

 so efiicacious upon the same lands that formerly 

 received from it the greatest benefits; hence the 

 pn^ference now given in those pans to lime. 



Mar] on the other hand judiciously applied, is 

 not subject to any of these drawbacks. It will 

 improve every kind of soil, at least all those that 

 occur in our tide-water districts; it will benefit 

 them all under any circumstances of position or 

 seasons, (without, of course, meaninfj to imply 

 that it will protect them from all inclemencies of 

 the seasons:) it may be considered as permanent in 

 its effects; and the expense for applying it once 

 'or all is not .miore than every enter[)rising planter 

 in Culver* is already willing to incur annually for 

 for the use of plaster and clover seed. 



Mr. Rutlin, whose experience in the use ol shell- 

 marl, has been so extensive and so valuable, to 

 those who possess this resource, has furnished us 



