616 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 10 



These wii! doubtless answer in the affirmaiive, 

 and will lend increasing eneriry to the enterprise. 

 But what shall be said to the great public, who 

 have not yet teltits influences, or who have as yet 

 enjoyed only its amusements I We say, join the 

 society — extend its operations — niuliiply its ener- 

 gies by producing honorable eniulation, and by 

 teaching a greater reliance on our own resources 

 ofindusiry and ski;l, than we have I'elt. It cannot 

 be denied', that the society has already done sonie- 

 thing towards the mijjrovement of our stock, our 

 domestic fabrics, and even of our farms. It can, 

 and will do much more, by a proper exercise of hs 

 functions. It promises to increase the value of 

 lands, and to augment I he supply of the necessa- 

 ries of life ; and its moral operation is to make the 

 profession of farming so res[)ectable by its pro- 

 ducts and profits, that men will be taught, by in- 

 terest, not to forsake it. We appeal, then, to an 

 enlightened community, not only to sustain it, but 

 to extend its influence by becoming members. 

 AcHiLLKS D. Johnson. Sec'i/. 



DOMESTICATING BEAVERS. 



The account givon in a communication to the last 

 number, of the returning of beavers to Nottoway river, 

 is an interesting fact in natural history; and the sugges- 

 tion of our correspondent of the plan of domesticating 

 them, for profit, is well worth attention. If, instead of 

 their being incessantly persecuted by trappers and 

 hunters, some ten acres of hilly wood-land, on a 

 stream, or pond, was given up to them for a secure 

 fplace of refuge, it seems likely that their future in- 

 . crease would pay a good profit on the cost of the 

 ground. It is probable, that if sufficiently protected, 

 in such a situation, these animals would again use 

 their wonderful instmct for the construction of dams, 

 and houses for their dwellings ; and if so, the colony 

 would exhibit one of the most curious and remarkable 

 cases of the habits and instinct of animals, in addition 

 to the possible profit from the high priced furs of the 

 surplus stock. 



We beg that some land-holder on the waters of the 

 Nottoway, will give the use of a few acres of his 

 waste-land to the beavers, and by leaving them free 

 from annoyance for several years, try to induce them 

 to resume their social and building habits, which their 

 dispersion, and continual alarm, have forced them to 

 abandon. It is also worth the trial, on some of their 

 young, as to their fitness for a state of complete do- 

 mestication, in which they may yield their rich furs 

 annually, without losing their lives, or without suffer- 

 ing more than sheep, when sheai-ed. No domestic 

 animal would be fed so cheaply, compared to its rich 

 products, as the beaver : and none would be more 

 harmless, and offer more amusement to curious ob- 

 servers. 



tunnp seed. I have found it of some value, as it 

 has been the means, by which I have saved good 

 seed lor tiie last two years. He had the kindness 

 to send me a small parcel of seed three years ago, 

 and at liie same lime instructions lor saving seed. 

 1 have grown the hybrid, and another sort of tur- 

 nip procured fi'om Baltimore, but have found Mr. 

 Walker's so superior, tliai in future I shall grow 

 none other; it is not so large, but its superiority 

 consists in its soundness and richness. Perhap'S 

 tills would have been better done, two months ago; 

 but it did not occur to me till last week, when I 

 was pulling my turnips. 



Wbi. Caumichael. 

 fVye, Queen Jlnn^s county Aid. lOih Dec. 1837. 



"When pulling your turnips, ni the hill, select 

 the best formed turnips, not very large, with tlie 

 strongest tops, and leaves, and whhout necks; the 

 crown red, or purple, and the skin below the 

 grouiid yellow; cut off the leaves, one and a half 

 inches above the crown; leave all the roots; place 

 them careiuily, in a shallow hole, in a pile, cover 

 them with straw, and then with earth well beaten 

 down, to preserve them from the wet. As soon as 

 the weather will permit, plant them out in the 

 spring in good ground, close to each other, in rows 

 thirty inches tipart, as deep as the crown. When 

 planted, cover tlicm with short Utter, lo protect 

 them from the frost; no other seed turnips, or cab- 

 bages, to be near them; they ought to be handled 

 careiuily: the breaking or bruising the crown, skin 

 or roots, is a serious injury. VVIien the seed is 

 sulTiciently matured, the tops to be cut and hung 

 up to dry." 



For tlie Farmers' Register. 



G. H. walker's INSTRUCTIONS FOR GROWING 

 TURNIP SEED. 



I send you a copy, of the instructions of George 

 H. Walker an English farmer, now residing 

 near Holmesburgh in Pennsylvania, lor growing 



PRESERVING PUMPKINS. 



A correspondent at Union Bridge, Maryland, 

 under dale of May 9th, says — "In looking over 

 the Farmers' Cabinet to-day, I find a request from 

 one of your subscribers, for information as to the 

 best method of preserving pumpkins through the 

 winter. I answer, that the way to preserve them 

 one or more years, is, to pull them before the frost 

 comes on, and keep them in a warm dry room. 

 This is my method, and I have now several large 

 ones in my house, in a fine state of preservation; 

 and ray neighbor, Mr. Davis Lightner, one of 

 your subscribers, has them two years old at this 

 "time, weighing 43 lbs. each. They are very fine. 

 Farmers^ Cabinet. 



MR. STEENROD S FAR3IING. 



Correspondence communicated for publication in the 

 Farmers Register. 



To Daniel Steenrod, esq. 



Washington City, D. C. ? 

 December 31s<, 1887. \ 



I received your kind favor of the 2Sth, giving, 

 as I requested you, some account of your last crop 

 of wheat, which seems to have been so very fine. 

 You mention the profit per acre; but did not men- 

 tion the price per bushel, the number of bushels, 

 nor the extent of ground. 



As I am inlbrmed that you are a farmer, in 

 fact, and have made your estate by that means; 

 (not a farmer in theory, who has spent a fortune 



