1837] 



F A U IM i: R S' R E G I S T K R. 



341 



C)rn, 300 bushels, at. 40 cents, 1-20 dollars.— 

 One field iis genernlly allntiod to Indian corn and 

 bnck-wiieat, in the same prDporlion witii wheat 

 and rye ; tlie 20 acres ol' corn will ayera<re 15 

 htishels per acre maldnir in ihe whole 300 hushels, 

 at 40 rents per bushel, is 120 dollars. 



/hick-wheai, 75 Imsiiels, at 30 cents, is 22 dol- 

 lars, and 50 cen's. — This nrain is so precarious in 

 iis irrowih, that it i-- extremely dhllcult to liirm an 

 eslimnte of its <jeni>ral produce; but suppose 15 

 bushels per acre, which. Ironi five acres, beinu' the 

 remainder o!' that field occupied by the corn, will 

 be 75 bushels, valued ai 30 cents per bushel, is 22 

 dollars, 50 cents. 



Barley. — So little of this trrain is raised here, 

 that I did rmt think it worlh notice. 



Outs, 100 bushels, at 20 cents per bushel, 20 

 dollars. — By the coiir.se of croppina: commonly 

 used iiere, this irrain is sowed, lor the sake of ease 

 and convenience to the larmer, upon some part of 

 the (idlovv intended lor wheat, to which it i^eneral- 

 ly proves injurious, therefore is not largely propa- 

 gated : liave only allotted five acres, which will 

 average twenty bushels per acre, making in the 

 Avhole 100 bushels, at 20 cents per bushel, is 20 

 dollars. 



Flax and seed, 30 dollars. — This is also gene- 

 rally raised on part of the fallow ; suppose two, 

 which, on an avernffe, ma}' yield 250 pounds of 

 swingled flax, and 12 bushels of .seed, which, both 

 together, amy be; worth 30 dollars. 



y/pplcs and cyder, 30 dollars. — Every farm has 

 more or less of orcharding ; eio-ht acres allowed 

 for that use, the product whereof, in apples and 

 cyder cannot be worlh less than 30 dollars. 



Hay, 20 tons: lvalue, 120 dollars.— Although 

 15 acres only are allotted for meadow, which, pro- 

 babl)', on an average, will not 3'ield more than 

 that number of tons, yet as the larmers, by sow- 

 ing grass-seeds on their lands, improved with 

 dung, plaster of Paris, &c. annually mow more 

 or less of those, I have allowed 20 tons, worth six 

 dollars each, makes 120 dollars. 



Cattle, annual product, 70 dollars. — I suppose a 

 farm of 200 acres will on an average, support 12 

 head of cattle; of those, 1 suppose five milch 

 cows, which will each yield per annum, one calf, 

 two of them to be raised and three iiitteJ ; the lat- 

 ter worth six dollars. Five milch cows will pro- 

 duce fifteen pounds of butter per month, each, lor 

 seven months, which makes in the whole525 lbs. 

 at nine cents per 11). makes 47 dollars, 25 cents ; 

 five months allowed for their being larrow, or fat- 

 ting the calves. Two calves annually raised, af- 

 fords opportunity for disposing of that number of 

 cattle annually either in beef or milch cows, 

 which, being worth 16 dollars each, makes 82 dol- 

 lars, making in the whole 79 dollars, 2 i cents. 

 Deduct, lor accidents, &c. nine dollars, 25 cents 

 leaves an annual product of 70 dollars. 



Horses. — Whatever these may produce, must 

 be considered as included in the general product 

 of the farm, for the cultivation of which they are 

 made by the propagation of the animal, unless it 

 be in the most interior parts of the country, where 

 no market can be procured lor grain &c. 



Sheep, annual product, 28 dollars. — Twenty 

 store sheep may be conveniently kept on a 200 

 &cre farm ; their wool will average 40 pounds per 

 year, worth 23 cents per pound, which makes 10 

 dollars; their increase in lambs, twelve: this 



number being to be disposed of annually, either in 

 lambs or liitted mutton, they may be worth 1 1-3 

 dollars each ; makes IS dollars. Thus the whole 

 annual product on sheep will be 28 dollars. 



//ogs, annuiil product, 80 dollars. — Ten hogs 

 may be considered as the averaue number raised 

 annually on a 200 iicre farm; weirrhing 200 net 

 pounds each, makuig 2000 lbs. at lour cents per 

 lb. ; the value of the annual product will be 80 

 dollars. 



Poultry, annuni product, 10 dollars. — Suppose, 

 on an average, ten dozen may be raided, worth 

 one dollar per dozen ; their product will be 10 

 dollars. 



ff^ood consumed in fuel, 25 cords. — Allowing 

 one kitchen fire, which burns more or less the 

 whole year, and one oilier fire during the winter, 

 tor the convenience of the family; I suppose the 

 two fires will consume 25 cords. 



Consumed by cattle, horses, sheep, hogs and 

 poultry : 



Indian corn, 200 bushels ; rye, 25 ditto ; buck- 

 wheat, 40 ditto ; potatoes, 75 ditto; hay 20 tons. 



The tamily consumption may be estimated by 

 what will support nine persons, viz. the man, his 

 wili^,, and three chiidren ; one man lured by Ihe 

 year, one bound boy, and one girl ; the extra hir- 

 ing of hands in harvest, and hay-making ; spin- 

 sters, visitors, &c. equal to the maintenance of 

 one person more during the year. 



Ti'.x paid annually lor defraying the expenses 

 of the country, supfjorting the poor, and repairing 

 the roads, will average about eight dollars. 



Pittsburgh, October 27, 1791. 

 Sir: 



Herewith I return your form, filled as well as I 

 am able at pre.sent. I beg leave to mention, that 

 in a new country like this, where farming is not 

 reduced to system, it is diflicult to form an esti- 

 mate as you wish. Our farms are generally new; 

 the oldest not exceeding 20 years. 



In order to give you as good an idea as possible, 

 I have divided them into three classes, annexing 

 the just value of each class ; and have averaged 

 the product. I believe this rule would apply as 

 equally here as any other. I have extended my 

 inquiries to two or three difiierenl farms of each 

 class. 



Should the method which I have adopted, not 

 answer your intention, or be too inexplicit, 1 will, 

 with the greatest pleasure, make any further in- 

 quiries that you may think necessary. 



I have the honor to be, sir. 



With much respect. 

 Your obedient humble servant, 



(Signed) 



To Alexander Hamilton, Esq. 



Value of Farm. 

 Lands divided into three 



classes. 

 First class, at 25s. per 



acre 

 Second do. at 15s. do. 

 Third do. at 10s. do. 

 Averaged value, 16s. Sd. 



Kinds of Land. 

 Arable land, 47 acres 

 Pasture land, 10 do. 

 Meadow, 7 do. 



Woodland, 250 do. 



