1825.] 



earth have become obsolete, we have abiitiil.iiit 

 evidence that the wise Author of Niilnre has 

 adaptod it to its condition. While it acquires a 

 vahiable maturity for use hy remaining in liie 

 ground after it has attained its growth, it is not 

 endangered by any propcrisity which wonld ne- 

 cessarily destroy it. Experin^enls have been 

 made to force them to a new growth much more 

 favorable to success than their native position 

 in the hill, but without effect. A potaloe of the 

 same kind, taken from the cellar and planted in 

 July when the now ones are ripe will readily 

 vegetate and pruibire a crop, vihile the new- 

 ones will lie dormitnt. 



The a'serlion of your correspondent respecl- 

 jnt' the vegolaliun of the rarly voiiitics of the 

 pnudnc does not comport .villi my observation. 

 The list exliaoidinary season leaily planted 

 five ditforeut kinds. After the later polaloe?' 

 were fit for use, they funii'^hed my daily supply. 

 Thc<e were the lir.-^t harvested. The early 

 kinds were left in the i;rniind, not six, but twelve 

 weeks after the stalks were dead, until lale in 

 Octolier; and, as my man informed me, not one 

 had sprouted. The few noticed which had com- 

 menced a second gmwih were of a late kind, 

 grew in a pass way, which in Jnly 'vas repeat- 

 edly crossed, with a team. Whether the con- 

 sequent disturbance and injury had any agency 

 may admit of question. The subject is an im- 

 ])orlant one — but its being so well underslood, 

 and settled by most of your readers this lormal 

 discussion may be deemed unnece'-sary. Even 

 your correspondent does not appear a lull con- 

 vert to his own doctrine. He remarks that this 

 year the same thing happened to the sweet or 

 Carolina polaloe. This from his manner of no- 

 ticing it. he considers exlrnordinary, if nota 

 " phenomenon." Among the strange produc- 

 tions of the past season, I noticed the advice *>( 

 nnolber writer to leave dead rijie small jtotaloes 

 in the ground with an assurance that thtfv will 

 trrow larger. Some of the live varieties men- 

 tioned above were left on account of their be- 

 ing loo small for culinary purposes. I can inform 

 the gentleman that after a three months' trial I 

 could not perceive that they exerted any selj- 

 rcgencraiing power. 



1 take also this occasion to mention, tliat, 

 agreeably to your suggestion, I have tried an 

 experiment proposed by a v\riterin your paper 

 last year to replant the old potatoe after the 

 vines were sel, as a basis for another crop. BIy 

 want of success 1 impute to my having 7i>aitcd 

 until all the eyes hud been converted into shoots. 

 There is doubtless a period in the vegetation 

 of the potatoe when its first shoots may be sev- 

 ered, and the residue with the parent may be 

 cultivated in another hill : but it will admit ot 

 question whether both parcels will be as pro- 

 ductive as the potatoe would have been had it 

 been lelt undistuibed. Those who believe in 

 the utility of distributing eyes would do more 

 wisely to cut the potatoe before it is planted. 

 Respectfully yours, O. FISKE. 

 Worcester, A'ov. 25, 1825. 



Profitable Farming. — The Bangor Gazette 



states that Thomas Drew, has sold this season, 



from his farm at Matawamkeag, 75 tons of hay, 



- at an average price of 15 dollars, making the 



extraordinary amount of 1135 dollars. 



HOVA SOOTIA. 



The following gentlemen have been chosen 

 officers of the Provincial Agricultural Society : 

 His Exc'y Lieut. Gen. .Sir .TAS. KEMPT, Pres't 

 Hon. Chief Justice BLOWERS, 1st I'ice PresU, 

 Hot, MICHAEL WALLACE, 2ti Vice Pres't, 

 JOHN YOUNG Esq, Secretary. 



[Extract from the llt-port of tlie T.ast liivcr AgricuUu- 

 r;il Si>riily.] 



•' Our infant Agriculture needs for some lime 

 yet, the legislative encouragement it has enjoy- 

 ed for some years past. Ours is not the only 

 place where sell-interest is not a siiflirient mo- 

 live to induce people to forego the unproiitable 

 practices and modes of their ancestors for others 

 that are newer anil belter. Farmers wiio cannot 

 read, and wlio have not seen the world, must 

 witness the success of improved modes frequent- 

 ly repealed, before they can be prevaileil upon 

 lo give np their prejudices and adopt them. Of 

 the m.'iny farmers on this river, not many beside 

 the members of (his Society, have much altered 

 iheir old modes; only a few instances of im- 

 |)rnvemenl are extensively adopted. The con- 

 tinuance of a sliniulus would certainly multiply 

 the numbtT, and quicken the circulation of im- 

 (iroveiiient wilh us. 



"The crop of this year is much better than 

 any body expected at a certain period. We 

 had dismal anticipations respecting the potatoe 

 ('.rip|), during the prevalence of ibe droU2:ht, but 

 the line fall, wilh the absence of frost, has a- 

 mended it amazingly. The hay and the straw 

 are short, but the quality of the diflcrent sorts 

 ol grain is good, and they were housed in excel- 

 lent order. There is scarcely any comjilaint of 

 sniiit or mildew: and on the whole the crop is 

 ne.irly an average one. If the winter does not 

 set in early, an uncommon proportion of land 

 will he ploughed this fall." 



The Report stales that a marliine for cleans- 

 ing F"lax has been erected by ftir Alex. Grant ; 

 and, although he has to contend against strong 

 prejudices of the inhabitants, there can be no 

 doiibl but hi? machine will prove of great ad- 

 vantage to that part of the province. 



147 



ri-iww tA^m>tKMJ^— 



CONNECTICUT RIVER. 



We Iiope the interest wliich has been excit- 

 ed upon this subject w ill not be sufi'ered lo sub- 

 side, merely because the means which are in 

 operation, to attain the desired improvements, 

 are not visible. In the Legislature of Vermont, 

 much has been doing, and a very promising 

 spirit prevails there, as will appear by the fol- 

 lowing extract of a letter dated Montpelier, 

 INov. 2: 



Mr. Smith, agent of the Connecticut River 

 Association, is here. He has been before a 

 committee, and has reported the progress, which 

 the company has already made, and also Iheir 

 prospects of future success. His communica- 

 tions have been very interesting. The commit- 

 tee room has been constantly crowded, and ev- 

 ery thing favourable to the enterprise, has been 

 received with unequivocal manifestations of 

 pk'asure. Mr. Smith puts the most entire suc- 

 cess beyond the least doubt. His views of a fa- 

 vourable scheme may possibly be too sanguine, 

 but 1 hope most devoutly that we may realize 

 all his anticipations. We hardly ap|)reciate the 

 importance of the underlakiog 1 do not mean, 



that we arc not .ilive lo the subject, bill ilial we 

 have not as yet, attached the consequenci' to it 

 that it justly deserve?. The eflfects which the 

 Northern Canjil lias alreaily had upon ihe Wcsi- 

 ern side of the jnountain, arc truly surprising. 

 Not only is the business greatly enhanced, but 

 the modes of doing it are entirely changed. — ■ 

 We learn that at Vergenuos and St. Alhan's they 

 are butchecing two hundred head of cattle per 

 •lay, and that those places from dull, quiet little 

 villages, are converted into marls of business of 

 no small consequence it seems that what, be- 

 fore the canal wa? nwde, was deemed of no val- 

 ue or importance, \\\i now tiecome an ailicle of 

 Iraile and exportation. In fact every man on 

 the Western side of the mountain, with whom 

 I have conversed, S(ieaks with the greatest en- 

 thusiasm of their Canal. TLey ail say it has 

 opened sources of wealth and trade, Ilinl they 

 had never before even dreamed of. Who ten 

 years since, sup(iosed that the Government of 

 the United Slates would ever make appropi'ia- 

 tions for building light bonnes upon Ihe West- 

 ern line of Ihe Slate of Vermont ? No one 

 would have doubled but this would be done, if 

 occasion should require, but who at that time 

 supposed that the navigation of Lake Cham- 

 plam would ever he so extensive, as to lenuire 

 such an appropriation ? On the success of ihe 

 scheme for the improvement of the navigation 

 ot Connecticut River, depends almost wholly 

 the future prospcrily of the Eastern side of the 

 mountain. 



The great manufucluring tstablishnienls, ex- 

 isting and ronii-mplated on the eastern bank of 

 the river in this vicinity, add very much to the 

 interest and importance of this snbject to our 

 citizens. The Chickopee river is to witness a 

 va«t deveh)pelneiit of its privileges. The cap- 

 italists who are jilreaciy engaged at Ware, Palm- 

 er, and ill Ibis lown, will not fail to see llie ad- 

 vantages which they may derive from a sure, 

 sale ami permanent water communication with 

 the Sound; and ihcy will not be satisfied wilh 

 the present mode of transportation from the riv- 

 er lo their establishments, if a better one could 

 he procured by the expenditure of money." — ■ 

 The above extract contains some useful hints 

 for the consideration of those who live 10, 20 

 and 3U miles from the river, and who may he 

 disposed to think their interest in the subjuctj 

 very inconsiderable. — Springfield Journal 



Cider. — The produce of orchards in New 

 England was, perhaps, never lower than at tiie 

 present time. We are informed that great quan- 

 tities of cider have been sold this season, in 

 this vicinity, for 50 or 60 cents a barrel. That 

 of sujierior quality, after having being trans- 

 ported eight or ten miles, sells from 75 cents to 

 one dollar. — Hampshire Gazette. 



At the town of Palmyra, 360 miles from New 

 York, there were 1500 cattle slaughtered in 

 1821. At the close of the present year there 

 will have been 3000. 



The recent fires on the PeDobscot, destroyed 

 an immense number of valuable timber trees 

 on Ihe lands belonging to this state and Maine. 



Indian Almanac. — When the first snow whick 

 falls is quick eat up by the sun, put away snovr 

 shoes, and mend moccasins. 



