68 



®l)c jTannefs iltontl)lii iMsitor. 



which first g«ve a high value ami j)eiiiiai)ei)t 

 market to tlie puhlic lands in the soiitlnvest. The 

 rapid setilenieiu mid iniprovenieiU of jilriiostlho 

 entire Stiiles of Aliihmnn, IMis^^issi|•pi, Lotiihianu, 

 Florida and Texas, is iniiinl.v due to theenlnrged 

 production of cotton consequent upon tiie inven- 

 tion of Whitney. Tlie Slates ot Georjiia and 

 Tennessee have also heen largely henefitted hy 

 the same means in the disposal ol' their domain, 

 a vast portion of which must have remaine<l un- 

 occupied and valueless, hut for the iirimense in- 

 crease of facilities for the preparation of cotton 

 for the market. In the three States of Alahama, 

 Mississippi and Louisiana, the sales of the puhlic 

 lands of the General Goveinmeiit umonmed to 

 I8,W<'.V'»05 acres, during the eleven years ending 

 on the 30ih of June, 1844— yielding to the na- 

 tional treasury more than §30,000,000. The sales 

 of upland cotton lainls hy the United Slates huid 

 offices have aniontileiJ lo iiumy teiis of jiiilUons 

 of acres; and none have heen sold at a lower 

 rate than Sl-a.'i an acre— a large proportion at a 

 higlier rate. . 



It is lo he remarked, finally, that the cotton- 

 gins now in use thioughotit the whole South are 

 truly the original invention of Whitney — that no 

 improvement or successful variation of the es- 

 sential parts has yet heen efj'ected. The actual 

 characteristics of the machine— the cylinder and 

 l)i-iish — the sole real instruments hy which the 

 seed is removed and the cotton cleaned, remain, 

 in cotton-gins of even the most recent manufac- 

 ture, ;)/msi;/^ «s imtneij left ibem. 'l'\n: prmdple 

 has not heen altered since the first cotton-gin 

 was (lut in motion hy the inventor, though great 

 improvements have heen made in the application 

 and direction of the moving forces, in the em- 

 ployment of steam power, in the running-gear, 

 and other incidentals. Every one of the various 

 cotton-gins in use, under the names of different 

 makers, contains the essentials of Whitney's pa- 

 tent, without material change or addition. 'I'he 

 hnish and the cylinder remain, like Fulton's pad- 

 dle-wheel, unchanged in form and necessity, 

 however vast the improvements in the machinery 

 that causes the motion. 



A more imposing result of nieclKUiical inge- 

 nuity directed to the henefit of a whole nation, 

 and, through it, of mankind, has not heen record- 

 ed ill the history of the human iiiimh Certainly 

 there is no patriotic American who will not re- 

 joice to accord to this eminently useful, though 

 hasely wronged inventor, llie judgment so well 

 expressed hy Mr. L:\ninan — that " Whitney earn- 

 e<l the credit of giving asjiring to theagricoltnre 

 of the Siiutli, which has Ihmmi continued, unim- 

 paired to this day — a credit tiiat will endure w hilc: 

 the cotton plant whitens the jilaiitations of the 

 South with its snowy harvests, or the inachineiy 

 of the cotton-factory clatters upon the waterfall." 

 — Skinner^a Farmers Library. 



Mount Airy Agricultural College. 



The undersigned, having for a series of years 

 devoted himself to the pursuit utid practice of 

 Agriculture, and having with deep concern le- 

 garded its condition as a Profession or Calling. 

 could not hut perceive that there was wanting, 

 sometliiiig indispensahle to give Character anil 

 energy to an occupation, arknowlediied to he the 

 most useful, and cmhiacing in itscxlendifd range 

 he most numerous class of the people of these 

 United States, lie has therefore heen long con- 

 vinced that the great desideratum to he supplied, 

 is an Education, commensurate with the high 

 destinies of the I.,anded Interest — a training in 

 Rural Economy pending the progress of the Stu- 

 dent in Literature, so that when he shall gradu- 

 ate, he may not only have achieved the usual at- 

 Ininments acipiired iti mere literary institutions, 

 but exhihil a ihoioiigh anil well grounded knowl- 

 cilge of practical and theoretical Agriculture and 

 Horticulture, and (lossess in a superior degree, 

 the presumahle addilion of good health and hah- 

 its; lieing thcrehy the hetier fitteil to enter upon 

 the general duties of life, or into any profession 

 as well us that of Agriculture. This presumed 

 felicitous condition of tlio Graduate needs no 

 deinonstrutiiin, for it must he admitted, that the 

 training ami exeri^ises of a properly conducted 

 Agricultural (Jollegi.-, will he naturally promotive 

 of the priceless hiessings of rohiist health, inilus- 

 trioua fiahils, and a well regulated mind. 



In the Eastern and Middle Slates many lauda- 

 ble efforts of lute years, have been made to im- 



prove and elevate the position of the Farmer, hut 

 in the jnain.all have pioved futile. In vain were 

 Chilis and Societies liirmed ; these could hut in- 

 voke or inspire others to associate, and spend as 

 they did, a little lime and money in the cau.-e ; 

 for all n/ii.sl now perceive that E<lncation is the 

 one tiling needliil, without which all effoils are 

 unavailing, in furtherance of the great ohject in 

 view. In vain did Capitalists, charmed with the 

 Kiiial, and desirous of selling an example, pur- 

 chase Farms, and quit the Cities; lor they soon 

 letiirned in disappointment, if not in disgust. 

 Why ? Uecanse they had not lieeii fitted hy ed- 

 ucation for the pursuits of Agriculture. They 

 had to depend on Hirelings, and no money could 

 procure, for it is not piocurahle, the intelligeiice 

 and skill adequate to iJie superintendence of the 

 Yards, Stables and Slock — the Soils anil .Manures 

 — the Crops aiixl Cro|iping. Every J'lanler or 

 owner of a Farm, should therefore lie aide to di- 

 rect and instruct in all the leading iiileients and 

 operations on his estate, for it is as much as he 

 can hope, or under the circumstances, expect, if 

 his lahorer.s cany out his orders in the detail. 



To educate youth in the leading hniiiches of 

 popular learning as taught in our Colleges, with 

 the addition of practical and theoretical Agricul- 

 ture and llorticiiltiire, with ilieir utieiidant scien- 

 ces, the Undersigned contemplates (oiiiidiiig an 

 Agricultural College at Mxiunl Airy, his residence, 

 8 miles from the Cily of Philadelphia,a site liivora- 

 hly known for its Healthiness and Ueaniy, ai.d as 

 having until recently heen, formally years, a seal 

 of Learning, and now, in (lardens, Grounds, and 

 Buildings, admirably suited for the purpose. 



Sliidents will he admitted at ten years old and 

 upwards. The younger pupils in the elementa- 

 ry blanches of tiie Scholaslic department will 

 receive special and particular iiltenliou. 'I'he 

 more advanced in years and learning, on enter- 

 ing, will he classed according to their ipialifica- 

 rions, and all will he carried foiwaid as rapidly 

 and nnderslandiiigly as practicable, lo a perfect 

 and ihorongh cuinpletiun. In the Agriciilliiial 

 department, a similar classification will be made 

 ill view of the age and capacity of the Student.-;, 

 an<l their exercises proportioned accordingly. — 

 Each little I5oy will have his iUidding and Prun- 

 ing Knife, his miniature Rake and Hoe, and in 

 line weather will daily repair to the Gardens and 

 Nurseries, and there be taught the nomenclature 

 of Plants, Flower.s, &.C., their culture, habits and 

 piopiMlie.-', and the necessary manipiilatloiis of 

 producing: after an hour spent in tliis healthful 

 recreation, he will return to the class-room, and 

 lesiiiiie his stnilies. As he advances in years 

 and strength, he will he introduced lo the more 

 weighty and important concerns id' Agriculuire, 

 In which the senior classes will be engaged. The 

 exercise or labor of all, however, will amount to 

 no more than will be deemed necessary tiir 

 healihfiil recreation and change, to diveisily and 

 lighten the monotonous and depressing drudgery 

 of the mere student. In this way, by a varied 

 course of study, rural exercise, and popular Lec- 

 tures, it is intended to accomplish the iuipoitiiiil 

 work, and to give to Agiiciillure an impulse that 

 I'aiinot fall to raise it to Ihe rank it should assume, 

 and ought lo hold throughout the land. 



The Giadnates of this College will be Schol- 

 ars, and Geiiilemen, who, if they inherit an Es- 

 tate, will know more than their Gardeners, Over- 

 seers, or Land Slewards — be conversant wilh the 

 Bree<ls, Character, and properties of Stock, tin: 

 mechanism and use of iiii|demeiits — the ipialily 

 of Soils, and the adaptation of Manures, and 

 withal, practical Surveyors ; while the taste ac- 

 quired for Rural Life, will render the luanage- 

 iniMit of their Plantations a phasing occupatii'ii, 

 comblirmg boih pleasure and profit. If on Ihe 

 other hand they should have to ac(|uire an estate, 

 what other graduates could hope to compete with 

 them in the acquisition of property and honora- 

 ble fame r 



These views are rcspiH-thilly submitted by way 

 of prospectus, affording a glance at the aims and 

 merits of the contemplated Institution, and for 

 Ihe purpose of eliciting such share of patronage 

 as will encourage the undersigned lo carry out 

 his long cherislied design. Hi therefore, eighty 

 students shall offer, on or before the first day of 

 .Inly next, he will open the College on the first 

 day of September following, wilh a Faculty com- 

 bining the best talent, both in Literature and Rii- 

 I'ld Economy. 



Tlie Terms will he 1'tco Hundred Dollars per 

 annum, for lioard and Tuition, payable hall'-year- 

 ly ill advance — no extras, except for Modern 

 Languages, for which it may be necessary to 

 make some additional charge, all id' which, when 

 properly matured, will be staled In a special pro- 

 spectus, when the requisite number of sluitenis 

 siiall appear to be forthcoming. 



Parents wishing to avail themselves of this 

 plan of educating their sous, will please aiUlress 

 JAMES GOWEN, Mount .'hnj, Philadelphia, 

 staling age, and acquirements in learning. It is 

 recpjestecl that early application be made, as the 

 opening of the College is conlingem upon the 

 number of students oHi;riiig, and as inuch of the 

 material necessary to its perfect organization must 

 he w ilhlfld, until it is ascertained that snflicient 

 patronage will be accorded. 



\ word as to the undersigned himself. To 

 tliosewho know him, 'tis needless to say, that 

 this great undeilaking is prompled by no inter- 

 ested motive whatever ; for all the capital 10 be 

 employed, and all the trouble and anxiety incur- 

 red, he expects not a dollar by way of profit or 

 remnnerallon for his services. He therefore wish- 

 es to stand in the proper attitude before all, and 

 leave lo all the means of making a fair estimate, 

 and coming to a proper determination so fill as 

 they may may feel inleresteil. 



Respectfiillv, 



JAMES GOWEN. 



Feb. 23d, Washington's Birth day, 1647. 



Agricultural (lapers will please copy the above. 

 —Ed. 



Pennsylvania Farming. 



Recommended to be practiced in Maryland, natural- 

 ly a belter uheal country. 



The following letter was wrillcn by a plain, 

 practical, working farmer, giving his views in 

 plain terms — as one neighbor docs fi another — 

 withuiii any view of appearing in print. It need 

 not be read with the less attention or profit on 

 that account. We are sorry to understand that 

 farming is not improving as generally as might 

 be wished, in a region so blesseil by nature with 

 a rich and enduring soil and pure healthy sit- 

 mosphere. If she does not keep pace with oth- 

 er seciitms, query, is it that her inhabitants des- 

 pise book-knowledge; or is it, as some would 

 contend, that they read too much of what is going 

 on in the wide world of agriculture ? On read- 

 ing, ^^e solicited the favor of being allowed to 

 publish it. If there be in it nothing absolutely 

 new, there is thai which cannot well be too often 

 repeated. — Farmcr''s Libraiy. 



Utica, Jan. 29, 1847. 



Dear Sir — In my last letter I mentioned some- 

 thing relative lo the improvement id" land in Lan- 

 caster county. I am fully convinced that, if a 

 proper and judicious iiiode of improving land 

 was introduceil into Frederick county, that in the 

 course of six or eight jears it would produce 

 double what il does at ibis time. 1 consider that 

 pall of this conniy, where I am acquainted, a 

 much htlltr ivheal land than thai of Lancaster coun- 

 ty, and under similar cultivalion would bring 

 more wheat lo Ihe acre. 1 would not dare to say 

 lliat every farm would bring double. No doubt 

 there are many good farmers lu're, as well as 

 there ; yet, I must say, I have heen nnfortiinale 

 in not meeting widi maiiv of that kind. 



The most of all the farms within my knowl- 

 edge, both in the limestone, as well as the red- 

 lands, have become detei ioratrd and inert lioiii 

 the circumstance of a wrong mode of farming. 

 A uniform mode of shallow ploughing, say five 

 to seven inches deep — and that almost continual- 

 ly under llic plough — with now and then a little 

 starved crop of clover, and olieii the cattle turn- 

 ed on hid'ore it is six inches high : is it any won- 

 der that thes>" complaints are heard about bad 

 crops.' Nolhiiig is a more convincing proof to 

 me that plants derive a great deal Of their nour- 

 ishment from the air, seeing the crops, and con- 

 sidering the manner of culilvalioii. .Ml land 

 that has a good subsoil and what is generally 

 called loam, is susceptible cd' improviineiit ; and 

 ihc only time: it can be made avaihdile is late in the 

 fall, after the subsoil has become saturated with 

 the fall rains, the wetter ihe better. There ought, 

 bv all means, lo be a heavy c-oat of something to 

 turn down. The ploughing must hi: a foot deep. 

 Three inches or four of the subsoil which lies 



