1835.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



741 



Influence of Agricultural Publications. 



The improvement which has been made within 

 a few years in the art of agricultural implements, 

 must be highly gratifying to every farmer. Who, 

 forty years ago, would have thought it possible to 

 raise "one hundred bushels of corn on one acre of 

 ground? Yet now, it is no uncommon case lor a 

 firmer to raise a much greater crop. This im- 

 provement must be attributed in a great measure 

 to the influence of the press. If we go back but 

 half a century, I believe we shall find no periodi- 

 cal publication eitherin Europe or America which 

 treated exclusively on the subject of agriculture. 

 The consequence was, that in those districts, 

 where particular branches of husbandry were the 

 most successfully and judiciously treated, the 

 knowledge remained with them, unless, perhaps, 

 slowly communicated from one to another, as ac- 

 cident or opportunity should oiler. But when jour- 

 nals, devoted to this art, began to be put in circu- 

 lation, containing the experience of intelligent, 

 learned and practical men, the improvement in 

 particular districts became very generally dissem- 

 inated. It is true indeed, that in many cases these 

 publications were coldly and reluctantly received, 

 from a false notion, that book learning, especially 

 when it contradicted the opinion they had derived 

 from tradition, must be very visionary. The light 

 of truth has in a great measure removed these er- 

 rors, and a new era has commenced upon the sub- 

 ject. The knowledge which has been derived 

 irom science and experience in one quarter of the 

 world is communicated by the press to all others, 

 and that which was claimed as private property is 

 now communicated for the benefit ol all. One 

 fact will strikingly illustrate this subject. When 

 Mr. Knight, president of the London Horticultu- 

 ral Society, sent his first present of new pears in 

 1823 to Mr. Lowell, his letter and the list which 

 accompanied it, were published in the Massachu- 

 setts Agricultural Repository. Within twelve 

 months, application was made for these fruits, 

 and scions were actually distributed from the lower 

 part of Maine to Cincinnati in Ohio. 



Among the great improvements which have 

 been made in tools and implements of husbandry, 

 the plough may be mentioned as an instance. 

 Such have been the great improvements in this 

 article, within a few years, that I am told one yoke 

 of cattle will do the work, in one day, which for- 

 merly required two yoke, and will do the work, 

 much better. Our ancestors used the flail to thrash 

 out their grain, but modern invention has produced 

 a machine, moved by horse power, and thrashes 

 out as much grain in one day, as one man can 

 thrash in ten days with a flail. 



A rake has been invented, moved bj r horse 

 power. It is said that by this horse rake one man 

 with a horse will put the hay into windrows as 

 fast as eight men can put it into cocks, after it is 

 raked. Among the wonders of the age steam 

 has been applied with surprising success in pro- 

 pelling vessels on water and wagons on land: but 

 in my wildest flights of imagination, I had never 

 conceived the idea that steam could be applied to 

 agricultural purposes. Yet Professor Rafinesque 

 of Philadelphia, a gentleman of great scientific 

 attainments, advertises for farmers his steam 

 plough, by which six furrows are ploughed at 

 ©nee, and "which he says will in one day perform 



the work of a single team for a week, and in the 

 best manner. What a delightful contemplation. 

 How wonderful is man! May we not indulge the 

 hope, that the day is not remote, when all agri- 

 ricuhural operation will be performed by steam.* 

 # * # * # 



On the best season to cut timber — Influence of the 

 moon on vegetation. 



There is one subject, connected with forest trees, ^ 

 upon which there appears to be a diversity of 

 opinion, and which I wish to present to your con- 

 sideration, that you may compare it with your 

 own experience. It is, as to the best time to fell 



*The discovery referred to above was advertised as 

 follows, on the covers of the New York Farmer — 



"Steam Ploughs.— Professor Rafinesque, of Phi- 

 ladelphia, offers his services to introduce the use of 

 steam ploughs in the United Spates. If there is a 

 wealthy fanner who owns level land, anil has patriot- 

 ism enough to connect his name with this wonderful 

 invention, whereby six ploughs can be driven, and six 

 furrows cut, as easily as one now, and one day's labor 

 do the work of a whole week— let him apply to me, 

 and I will enable him to have such a steam plough 

 made for himself and all his neighbors, thus settingthe 

 example of this wonderful application of steam." 



We, like Mr. Moseley, hope that signal benefits will 

 hereafter be derived from the application of steam 

 power to agricultural processes — but would neverthe- 

 less advise that but slight reliance should be placed on 

 the labors of Professor Rafinesque for this purpose — as 

 he has been remarkable for ill success (to say no 

 more) in bringing his numerous and wonderful inven- 

 tions into use. For example — the same paper from 

 which the foregoing is copied, contains the two follow- 

 ing advertisements, which, (with another offering to 

 save many millions by a substitute for railway trans- 

 portation,) were long published to invite the attention 

 of the heedless and obstinate public. Yet it seems 

 that nobody has availed of these magnificent offers of 

 insurance; and houses are still burnt as often as here- 

 tofore, ships sunk, and steamers blown up, without the 

 least regard to Professor Rafinesque's benevolent 

 plans, and splendid discoveries. 



"Incombustible Architecture. — Incombusti- 

 ble dwelling-houses and buildings of all kinds de- 

 vised or built in New York, or any part of the 

 United States, as cheap as any other combustible 

 buildings. Actual buildings and houses rendered in- 

 combustible at a small additional expense. 



Ships of all sorts, and steamboats, rendered incom- 

 bustible, and not liable to sink, at a small expense. 



For sale, 10,000 lbs, of Antignis, or Incombustible 

 Varnish, at one dollar per pound. 



Apply to C. S. Rafinesque, Professor of Hist, and 

 .Nat. Sciences, Chemist, Architect, &.c , in Philadel- 

 phia, No. 59 North 8th street. A pamphlet given 

 gratis." 



"To Steamboat Cosipanies. — Professor Rafi- 

 nesque, 'of Philadelphia, offers his services to ren- 

 der steamboats incombustible, and not liable to sink, 

 even by the bursting of boilers, or striking against 

 snags, sawyers and rocks. This will save many boats, 

 much property, and the lives of hundreds every year. 

 Those who neglect this easy improvement, deserve to 

 be neglected and deserted by the public as unmindful 

 of safety. Apply, post paid." 



