FARMERS' REGISTER— COMMERCIAL REPORT. 



639 



ricultural brethren, who are so justly celebrated for 

 their industry and enterprise? They have to con- 

 tend against the natural obstacles ol" a bad soil 

 and climate, unpropitious to the corn crop, which 

 is best adapted to a more southern latitude. We, 

 on the other han<l, are blessed, both with a soil 

 and climate admirably suited to its growth and 

 productiveness. Shall we then, neglect — naj^, de- 

 spise these incalculable advantages? Shall we not 

 rather bend both body and mind to avail ourselves 

 of them to their iuUest extent? Sliall we always 

 content ourselves to be at the laboring oar 

 — to be common and interior sailors, when we 

 might justl^v aspire to command the ship? Oh 1 

 tbrbid it every feeling of allowable state-pride — 

 every just estimate of the rank we southern ag- 

 riculturisLs are entitled to hold, in our body po- 

 litic. 



Pardon, my good sir, this slight exhibition of 

 professional and state-partiality. JNIost persons 

 will probably say, that the occasion did not justify 

 it; that it is a hop, skip, and jump, kind of busi- 

 ness. But there is no tracing the concentration of 

 ideas in such desultory thinkers as myself^: for I 

 may address you at Shell banks, and land you — if 

 you please to follow me — on the summit of Chim- 

 boracjo. Should your readers therefore, not be 

 able to go along with me so far, as to attribute 

 what I have written to an adequate cause, I shall 

 reconcile myself as well as I can, to their condem- 

 nation of your friend and constant reader. 



From t'.ie Genesee Farmer. 

 THE HORSE RAKE. 



"The horse hay-rake was invented by a co- 

 lored man who lived on Hempstead Plain, on 

 Long Island. He died about the year 1821. It 

 was introduced into Pennsylvania by Michael 

 Newbold, of Oxford, Philadelphia county, about 

 the year 1812, in consequence of the representa- 

 tions of a Yankee pedlar, who instructed him how- 

 to make one. His fiist rake was destroyed by a 

 malicious person who feared its innovating efl'ects I 

 on the price of labor. The original rake is pre- | 

 ferable to the patented one, except on smooth level ! 

 ground. With us the horse rake is an indispen- j 

 sable implement, and has lessened the expense of 

 hay-making one-third, and perhaps in some cases 

 one-half" 



Who can give us the name and history of the 

 origmal inventor of the horse rake? Whether he 

 was black or white, bond or free, he ought to be 

 known as a public benefactor. 



For the Farmers' Register. 

 MONTHLY COBIMERCIAL REPORT. 



Another month of comparative inactivity in the 

 trade of Virginia has elapsed, taking previous 

 years as a criterion. The navigation of our rivers 

 has been a second time closed by ice, and even 

 that of Chesapeake Bay was obstructed. 



Tobacco is the only article of which the usual 

 supply lias been brought to market — but this is 

 not the season of the year for large receipts. The 



price has undergone little change: if any, it is in 

 iavor of the planter. 



The price of cotton has fluctuated a little. It 

 advanced to 15 to \5^, and has declined to 14^ to 

 \o\ cents. The operation.^ have been to a small 

 extent, owing to the moderate supply, and to the 

 holders requiring higher prices than can be real- 

 ized in foreign markets. The receipts in the 

 southern and western ports continue to exceed 

 those of last season to a great extent. 



One heavy operation in city mills flour is re- 

 ported, say 15,000 bbls. The market has not been 

 Isrisk. City mills ,t?5^ to ^5^ — country brand ^4^ 

 to .^43. 



The annual returns of the import and consump- 

 tion of American products in Europe, furnish, 

 among other, the following statements. 



Import aiid consumption nf cotton in Great Britain. 



IMl'ORT. CONSUBIPTION- 



U. States. All sorts. U. States. All sorts. 



1830 618,750 871,9-50 5.39,050 805,500 bales 



1881 608,750 905,200 618,600 881,500 " 



1832 628,850 901,700 630,250 877,800 " 



1833 657,750 933,100 6-55,750 899,100 " 



1834 731,3-50 948,500 695,600 904,500 " 



Consumpilun of cotton ia France. 



1830 250,800 " 



1831 243,900 « 



1832 272,500 " 



1833 200,400 276,400 " 



1834 234,200 301,600 '< 



Exhibiting an increase in both countries, and this 

 increase is enhanced by the greater number of 

 bales from the United States consumed each suc- 

 cessive year, the weight of such being heavier 

 than those from other countries. Thus, if the 

 bales are estimated to average 300 lbs. each, the 

 consumption in Great Britain would appear thus: 



In 1830 721,000 bales of 300 lbs. 



1831 781,000 " " 



1832 859,000 '' " 



1833 890,000 " " 



1834 972,000 " " 



The stocks of tobacco remaining on hand in 

 Great Britain and Ireland at the close of each year, 

 are reported as follows: 



1829 36,500 hhds. 1832 28,600 hhds. 



1830 33,000 " 18.33 25,-500 " 



1831 33,000 " 1834 26,400 " 



The quantity talccn for consumption in each 

 year varies so httle as not to be worth notice, but 

 it scarcely exceeds one-half of the smaller quan- 

 tity above reported, and the remainder is re-ex- 

 ported from England to other countries. 



What elfect will be produced on commerce by 

 the recent cessation of di])lomatic intercourse be- 

 tween this country and France, remains to be as- 

 certained — but the immediate one is some decline 

 in the price of cotton — probably of public stocks 

 and of ships. 



It is decided that no addition will this year be 

 made to the banking capital of Virginia. 



X. 



Feb. 24, 1835. 



