ii'ARMERS' REGISTfilt 



511 



thai most of the worms will perish before maturi- 

 ty. There must be some sufficient cause for such 

 genera! and mysterious effects ; and the discovery 

 of it may yet give to silk-culture in Virginia as 

 fair prospects of success, as it had in our over- 

 weening confidence, before the occurrence of the 

 failures of liiis season. Any information on this 

 subject, or opinions from older and better experi- 

 menters, we shall be pleased to receive and lay be- 

 fore the public. None will be more gratified than 

 we shall be, to have this great and unexpected 

 obstacle to silk-culture removed. But, in the mean 

 time, neither the pride of opinion, nor unwilling- 

 ness to conless mistake and ignorance, shall, in 

 this, or any other case, prevent our stating fairly 

 and truly the existing circumstances, adverse as 

 they may be to our previous aniicipations, and 

 even morlifying to our confident seK-conceit. — Ed. 

 Fau. Reg. 



remarks and inquiries in regard to mr. 

 selden's change of rotation. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



1 had prepared a communication for your July 

 number, advocaiingan improved ihree-field course 

 of crops now in progress on my farm. But belbre 

 it was mailed, accident attracted my attetiiion to a 

 reperusal of the communication of John A. Selden, 

 esq., published in the January numtier of the Re- 

 gister, detailing a contempiateil five-shift rotation. 

 My mind was so lorcibly impressed with the supe- 

 perior advantages of his course, and the conclu- 

 eive reasoning by whicii it is sustained, that I 

 abandoned the intention of entering the arena as 

 a principal, and have been content to enlist as a 

 Bubaltern under the banner displayed Irom Westo- 

 ver. This, to a proud mind, plenlilLilly top-iiress- 

 ed (as Mr. Garnett would say) with agricultural 

 conceit, is, perhaps, a humiliating confession. But 

 truth vanquishes pride, and sincerity impels the 

 2iV0\va\, Ihat, lor a wheat farm, Mr. Selden's ro- 

 tation can, in my judgment, have no superior. 

 His reasoning is based on a nerlect knowledge of 

 vegetable physiology ; and there cannot be a sha- 

 dow of doubt, but his theory, when reduced to 

 practice, must result in entire success. 



There is but one difficulty that has presented it- 

 self; and as the contemplated system has nearly 

 run the first year of its course, it can be cleared 

 up, and 1 trust, in your columns, Mr. S. will give 

 the necessary explanation. In detailing h's |)l<in, 

 he says, " as the oat crop is so valuable a one wiili 

 me for feeding my teams, I propose seeding one- 

 third of the field intended for peas in that cro|), 

 and on which /propose to put my manure. Should 

 the manuring extend farther than the third lor 

 oats, I propose putting the remainder of the ma- 

 nured land in pumpkins, and the balance of the 

 field of course in peas, &c." To this apportionment 

 of the precedent crops on the field designed lor 

 wheat, I have no objection, but have serious 

 doubts, whether he can do full justice to Iiis ma- 

 nure heap. Oats are, or ought to be, sown early in 

 March— too early, I should think, to Lreak up ilie 



winter farm- pens and haul their crude and un- 

 lermented contents to the field. I have never 

 found manure made in the winter in a proper con- 

 dition to apply to any crop earlier than April ; and 

 without some extraneous management it would 

 be, I imagine, less so in March. I trust the at- 

 tention of Mr. S. will be drawn to the subject, 

 and that in your next number, he will, as addenda 

 to his communication, detail his management of 

 manures, and the mode by which it is prepared for 

 a crop so early sown as that to which it is given. 



R. 



HEN S eggs. 



From the Farmer's Cabinet. 



I notice in the Farmers' Cabinet for 4ih mo. 

 last, p. 275, an inquiry as to the truth of the asser- 

 tion, that hen's eggs which are round produce 

 female chickens, and those which are long or point- 

 ed, produce males. 



When a boy, I was in a situation to be able to 

 indulge my fondness for fowls, and often raised 

 chickens ; — without ever having heard of the 

 above facts, ( discovered that the eggs which ap- 

 proached the nearest to roundness always produced 

 females, and those which were pointed at one 

 end always produced males — I acted accordingly, 

 and always succeeded in obtaining females or 

 males, according as 1 wished. 



After a lapse of a number of years, being in 

 Philadelphia market, I happened to mention the 

 fact to one who raised chickens for sale, and who 

 preferred the males, because they grew larger — 

 the information was received with some surprise ; 

 but I advised the person to try if, and afterwards 

 was informed of the entire success of the experi- 

 ment, all males being produced by selecting the 

 long or pointed egas. 



1 since find the fiict was mentioned by a writer 

 over 2000 years ago. 1. H. 



MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT. 



For the Farmers' Register. 



Within the past week two new steamers have 

 arrived from England ; one in the unprecedented 

 short passage of ten days and some hours, Irom 

 Liverpool to Halifiix, N. S., with dates to 4ih of 

 August. The weather had been fine, and harvest 

 had commenced with favorable prospects of an 

 average, but not a large crop. 



These accounts have tended to depress the 

 price of flour in our northern markets, whence 

 large shipments of grain and Hour were in proirrees. 

 Cargoes of rye are now sent to the Mediterranean, 

 whence we derived large supplies during the last 

 few years. 



The very short crop of wheat in Virginia causes 

 prices not only to be supported, but to advance; 

 and they now range from 100 to 120 cents per 

 bushel ; prime quality is scarce, and indeed the 

 supply of all sorts less than usual. The deficiency 

 is beli'eved to exist in all the Atlantic slates, ex- 

 cept on their western borders. Flour may be 

 quoted ^5\ to S-J. Corn 45 to 50 cents. Tobacco 

 has not varied much in price— ranging from SS-ij 

 to Sll— 'l»e demand good. The inspections lu 



