1839] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



m 



our armed vessels, from Creole animosity to foreign 

 enterprise; and that it is especially important to 

 obtain this summer from Sisal, in Yucatan, and 

 from Gonzacoaleos, in Vera Cruz, as many suckers 

 as possible of the Agave Sisalana and Bromeiia 

 Pita ; because it is now dsmonstrated that these 

 superior substitutes for hemp and flax can be rea 

 di!y propagated over the arid islands and coasts 

 of Tropical Florida by the success of the few 

 plants sent to Cape Florida in 1833 by the Ameri- 

 can Consul at Campeachy. As, however, the 

 greatest portion of southern Florida consists ol 

 marshy grounds which are adapted lo the vigorous 

 growl h of succulent plants of the Banana family, 

 called Musaceas, and as their offspring arrive at 

 maturity in a single year, (or one-third of the time 

 requisite for the fleshy-leaved Agaves,) it is so 

 much tlie more desirable to obtain speedily a con- 

 siderable number of the Manilla hemp bananas, 

 called musa abaca and viusa textilis by botanists ; 

 and hence the department is respectfully reminded 

 tiiat these incalculably important plants were car- 

 ried to French Cayenne for the French govern- 

 ment, by the same JMons. Perrottet, who at the 

 same time transported to the same places the 

 highly celebrated morus mullicaulisfrom the same 

 Philip[)ine isfmds ; and that hence their fibrous 

 stalked progeny may be early obtained and speedily 

 transported to the hitherto unprofitable marshes 

 of Florida. For many details concerning the 

 fibrous leaved and fibrous stalked plants which 

 yield tlie fbliaceous and petiolar fibres, called Sisa! 

 hemp, Manilla hemp, trrass hemp, grass flax, ve- 

 getable silk, &c.; the department is respectfully 

 referred to communications on file in its own ar- 

 chives fi'om the former consul at Campeachy ; and 

 to the articles and plates on the same subjects in 

 the reports of the committees on agriculture of 

 coniiress which accompanied the bill, become a 

 law, "to encourage the introduction and promote 

 the cultivation of tropical plants in the Uuite<:l 

 Slates."' We have the honor to be, sir, 



Very respectfully, your very humble. 



And obedient servants, 

 (Signed) Charles Howe, 



Henky Peerine. 

 Trustees T. P. C. 



Navy Department, 5lk June, 1839. 

 Genilcmen — Your interesting communication of 

 the 22nd of April last has been received. The 

 department will avail itself when practicable, of 

 your offer to receive and preserve such tropical 

 plants as may be imported into the United States 

 by our public vessels, under the circular of the Cth 

 of Se|)tember, 1827, to which you make reference. 

 Hostilities between France and Mexico having 

 ceased, it is now too late to improve vour sugges- 

 tion of the facilities presented by a "state of war 

 between those countries, for the importation, this 

 season, of the fibrous plants mentioned in your 

 letter ; but the subject will be borne in mind for 

 future anion, when circumstances will admit of it. 

 Wishing you entire success in the laudable and 

 important enterprise in which you have embarked. 

 I am, very respectfully. 

 Your obedient servant, 



J. K. Paulding. 

 H. Perrikk & 

 Chas. Howe, esq's. 



Indian Key, Florida, 

 Vol. VII— 60 



harvesting corn in OHIO. 



From tlie Geiiosee Farmed. 

 3Ir. Editor — As things that come from a dis- 

 tance, are generally esteemed more valuable than 

 those produced at home, I shall venture to give our 

 western method of cutting up corn, and lei you 

 manufacture it into what you like. 



My plan is to put 120 hilla in one shoek; othe c 

 put 144. I commence cutting two rows, advance 

 ten hills, and then stop and tie four hills in the rov.s, 

 I am cutting, in this manner, -\-. Then advance, 

 culling both rows laying five or six hills in a par- 

 cel, until I have advanced ten hills ahead; then 

 stop and lie as before, and this makes twelve liills 

 to a shock this way. I then count off eight rows, 

 and commence on two more; then I procee<l 

 through the field, or lot intended to be cut. I then 

 put up what is cut up between tbiOee hills, having 

 their tops united in as even a manner us I can; set 

 it as nearly upright as possible, placing the bula 

 well on the ground, and in such a manner as to 

 form a neat circle. The corn by this time is gen- 

 erally partially cured, so that I take a stalk or 

 wisp of straw and tie the tops at a suitable height 

 and distance. It is best lo let this stand a day or 

 two, in order that it may properly cure. Atler 

 going through in ihis order, I commence and cut 

 four rov.'s to each row of shocks, two rows ou eiiher 

 side, letting it cure as much as possible, but be sure to 

 have it well set up before rain falls upon iti I prefer 

 letting it stand a day or two in ihl-; stale, as i have 

 seen it mould some, if the u'eailier phculd he damp. 

 Then proceed with the remaining lour rows in like 

 maiiner,wheneach shock shall have received its due 

 portion of 120 hills, be particular to set it upright 

 and even around the centre, and the huts well set- 

 tled on the ground. Now alter the shocks have 

 stood a day or two let two hands go carefully 

 over the whole, righting every shock and stalk that 

 may be out of place, and at the same time firmly ty- 

 ing each and every shock at a reasonable distance 

 from the top with a band made of rye straw, or made 

 by taking four stalks; take off the ears, let each man 

 take two, roll the blades around the stalks from but 

 to top, then let them unite these by crossing their 

 tops and breaking back the tops of each pair to- 

 wards the but, and inserting the tops between the 

 stalks. Last year I put up about 12 acres in the 

 above manner, a great part of which stood out 

 until May, and better or sweeter corn I never had, 

 than I now have; I think not more than two or 

 three shocks felfeo as to take damage. S. T. 

 Jefferson, Preble Co. Ohio, June 12, 1839, 



REPLY TO CHARGES IN DH. PERfaNE's COM^ 

 MUNIC-VTIOK. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Knglster. 



Pensacola, July I9th, 1839. 

 Sir — Your register of .June, has an article from 

 Dr. Perrine, of Indian Key, in which are misre- 

 presentations of my conduct. Dr. Perrine showed 

 me a circular from the Hon. Sec. of War, directing 

 all officers on the coast to assist him in his plans 

 as far as possible without detriment to public ser- 

 vice j at the same time making me a request to 

 procure any mulberry plants that I could find on 

 the mainland and bring them to Indian Key. I 



