J 90 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



DEC. 16, lS40i 



Ann lIORTICUI/rUKAL Rl GI3TER. 



BosTos, Wedsesdav, Deo. 16, 1840. 



PROJECT l'"OR A NATlOiNAL MUSKUM Of AG- 

 RICULTURE ANU THE MECHANH; ARTS. 

 We givo liclow the plan of Mr Ellswortli, Commis- 

 sioner ol I'nleiiU nt VViisliington, respecting the estab- 

 lishment at llie Bent of the Nutinnal Government, of a 

 museum of a^riculluinl products und inipiements, nnd 

 of nieclianical and manufacturing machines, products 

 and imiirovements. We beg leave to add our strong 

 wishes for the perfect success of (he project. It cannot 

 fail to be uf great value tu the country. 



In the erection of the new building designed for the 

 Patent OtHce, a spacious hall has been finished and ap- 

 propriated to this ol>jert. Mr Ellsworth has already de- 

 voted himself with eminent assiduity and zeal to the 

 colleetion of seeds and samples of the most v:iluable ag- 

 ricultural products from dilTeient parts of the country, 

 and likewise frfun foreign countries ; and these «eeds 

 he has circulated through the country with great liber- 

 ality. In rcspei't to patented machinery in agriculture 

 or in the mechanic arts, the patent office already aflbrds 

 to the curious mind a study for years. This collection 

 is rapidly extending, as, indeed, there are no limits to 

 invention. Some years since, the number of washing 

 machines entered for patent exceeded four hundred. 

 The various inventions for cooking, and heating apart- 

 ments, are well nigh innuinerablc — certainly past all 

 remembrance ; and the number of ploughs and improved 

 agricultural instruments fall liitle short of oilier inven- 

 tions. It is not ahv.iys easy to judge fnun a model 

 merely, the value of a machine or invention It is Mr 

 J'.llsvvoilh'.H |iliin, us lar as he can accomplish it, to ob- 

 tain tin; thing itself. So, likewise, of ngricultilral pro- 

 ducts — those which are not peri.shable but capable of 

 preservation, he designs, as far as practicable, to ob- 

 tain in the form in which lliey grew ; grain not only 

 shelled but in the sheaf, and Indian corn in the husk 

 and on the stalk. His wish likewise i.^, to procure from 

 the manufacturers specimens of all triieir works. In re- 

 spect to many articles of manufacture, this will be easy ; 

 hats, shoes, whips, combs, buttims, all articles of sir.iw, 

 leather, metal, worid, glass, china, stone, et cetera, this 

 may not be dillicult and would be exceedingly interest- 

 ing. In respect to cloths and articles, wliicli like cloths, 

 are liable to fade, and upon which, likewise, important 

 improvinienls are constantly in progress, this will hard- 

 ly do our manufacturers justice; though if such sam- 

 ples are procured from year to year, they will coHsiitutc 

 an exact record ol the progress of ilie arts. 



The advantages to accrue from such an establishinent, 

 if carried out according to the liber.il plans of the Com- 

 missioner, will be very great tu individuals and to the 

 public at large. Uniil the State of Massiichusetts caus- 

 ed to be taken and published slatislicuj returns of all 

 her nianuficturcs, of their hinds and variety, of the 

 amount of i-apilal emploved and Uie value of tlic manu- 

 factured article, no inilividiial in the Stale had any just 

 ideo of their extent and amount. When at the Meelian- 

 ics' Kairs lield in lioston and New York, specimens of 

 these various ariicles and products wire exhibited, no 

 ono could repress his surprise at tiieir variety, ingenui- 

 ty, and Ihe perfection to which tlie arts had reached 

 among us. The facts disclosed and established in each 

 case have done immense service to the Slate and the 

 country. They have demonstrated the importance of 

 domestic induslry as ihe foiindalion uf public weallh. 



They have shown us that the true secrets of our slrenglh 

 and independence lie in durability to supply our own 

 wants. They have done a great deal to slinmlate inven- 

 tion and improvemeni, by bringing the various products 

 of ingenuity, skill and induslry in direct comparison 

 with eacli other. They have exalted our own just self- 

 respect ; and exiended the ropiilalion and credit of our 

 country abroad. 



Mr Webster on his return lo the counlry from his 

 lale visit 10 England mentions a fact, wliicli strikingly 

 illustrated this matter. He was consulted by a foreign | 

 capitalist as lo the expediency or security of investing j 

 funds in the stocks of our Slate, then for sale in ihe j 

 English market. He pat into the bands of the inquirer ' 

 a copy of the Statistical Returns of the Manufactures ol 

 Massachusetts, prepared by Ihe intelligent and industri- 

 ous Secretary of Slate, and publislieil by order of the 

 Government, showing that the avails of the domestic in- 

 dustry of Mas.sachuseltsamounied to 01,000,000 of dol- 

 lars. The gentleman shortly retnined ihe book, giving 

 orders at once lo invest a very large amount in the se- 

 curities of ilie State, under the conviciion llnit a com- 

 monwealth so pre-eminently distinguished for its pro- 

 duclive industry could not fail to secure its just obliga- 

 tioii^^. 



This proposf d collection at Washington will meet 

 ihe purposes of a great mechanics' fair. It will exhibit 

 the improvements in the arts, and give some just notions 

 of the immense results of our national induslry. As 

 Washington is the great centre of confluence of intelli- 

 gent men from all paitsof the country, it will be the best 

 mode that could be adopted of communic'aling the 

 knowledge of what has been done ; and diffusing this 

 knowledge ihioiighoiit the whole country. It will ena- 

 ble persons in pursuit of particular implements or arti- 

 cles of manufacture, lo know at onee where they can 

 be best supplied. It will furnish to the maniifacuircrs 

 themselves and the inventors of any improvement in 

 the arts, one of ihe best opportunilies which they could 

 ask for advertising what tJiey have done and wliat they 

 have lo dispose of. It will constitute a place of inter- 

 esting resort and rich gratilication to the curious and 

 inlell'rgenl ; and form in the end a museum of the me- 

 chanic arts as instructive, and in many respects as grati- 

 fying, as the finest museums of the fine arts in the old 

 world. 



Precisely the same plan pmpo. ed by llie Commission- 

 er of Patents for a national museum, we prop-ised three 

 years sinro for a Stale uiuseum. We then printed and 

 published a circular, detailing the pbin and soliciting 

 contributions. We requested the republication of the 

 circular, as mailer of courtesy, in the different papers 

 of the Stale. We believe not a single city paperdeemed 

 it worthy of notice, and not more than half a dozen 

 country papers gave il place in ihejir .^iidumns. A few 

 friends seilt us some collections. "-Many more, promised 

 us contributions, but forgot their promises. We laid 

 out some money in making.cnileclions. Hut, witlinut a 

 room for their deposil, wilhout funds to pav the ordinary 

 expens-es of collection, and above all, without the co- 

 operation oftlio farmers and mechanics, what could be 

 effected .'' We still have'liopes to live lo see, under 

 more effie'-enl liands, this plan accomplished. AV'e have 

 full confidence in its [iracticableness and iis great utility. 

 Above all, we hope that llie lihernl views of the Com- 

 missioner of Pati nts will bo heartily secoiuled in every 

 part of the country, and that Congress will in their libe- 

 rality give him all the means he can need or asU for 

 the perfect aceomplisliiiient of this excellent objeel. 



II. C. 

 The following is the circular from Uie Patent Office 

 above alluded lo ; 



Patent Office, Nov. 20, 1840., 



Notice is given that the Hall in the jVcio PiiMut Office 

 for the exhibition of manufaclures, is now completed^ 

 The Hall is spacious, being 273 feet long, 63 feet wide, 

 30 feet high, and fire-proof. 



Agents whose names aie annexed, will receive and 

 forward free of expence, articles wliieh may be deposil- 

 I'd with them. Tluse articles will be classified and ar- 

 ranged fiir e.\hibition, and the name and address of the 

 inanufiiclnrer (with the prices when desired) will be 

 carefully affixed. Few, it is presumed, will upglect lo 

 improve ihe oppnrlunity now presented of conlnbiiting 

 their choicest specimens lo the Kaiionid flnUnijifjTwer- 

 ican Mtmiifa^t-urcs, where thousands who visit the Seat 

 of Go\erninenl will witness with pleasure the progress 

 of the arts in these United States. 



If fairs, in limited sect-ions of our country, have excit- 

 ed interest, what must be the attractions of a national 

 exhibition, enriched by daily additions. 



The agriculturist may be gratified to learn, that 

 commodious rooms are provided for the exhibition of 

 agricultural implements, and also for ihe reception of 

 sei'ds for exhibition or distribution. 



The Commissioner of Patents, being authorized to 

 collect agricultural statistics, avails himself of this op- 

 portunity to solicit inf >rniation of the eoiidilion and 

 character of the crops in the several sections ol the coun- 

 try These data wiTl aid him in presenting with his 

 annual rejiort, the aggregate ammmt of products of the 

 soil, and il is hoped that ihe public may be guarded in 

 some measure from the evils of monopoly, by showing 

 how the scarcity in one portion of the land may be sup- 

 plied from the surplus in another. 



Names of rgenis who will receive and forward pack- 

 ages farllie Patent office. Collectors of the Customs at 

 Portsmouth, N. H., Portland, Me., Biirlinfilon, Vl., 

 Providence, R. 1., Philadelphia, Baltimore, Richmond, 

 Charleston, Savannah, N. Oilcans, Delroit, Buffalo, 

 Cleveland. Surveyors of the Customs — Hartford, Ct. 

 St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville; R. H. 

 Eddy. Boston, Mass; David Gardiner, (Custom House) 

 New ioik. Henrv L. Ellsworth, 



Commissiontr of Patents. 



Editors are very respectfully requested lo give the 

 above an insertion in their papers. 



liNCREASE or WEALTH. 



The English have blockaded Canton, the principal 

 port of China, and the consequence is, the entire inter- 

 ruption of the trade. The eti'ect has been to enlianeo 

 the prices of teas nearly fifty per cent ; and by these 

 means some persons have realized profits to an immense 

 extent. The profits upon a single Canton ship have 

 been staled at .'W0,000 dollars ! and three commercial 

 houses in Salem are represented lo have obtained in the 

 advance upon leas, the vast amount of 1,500,000 dollars 

 —if any farmer can enumerate such a sum. Some hou- 

 ses in Boston have been equally forlunate. The public, 

 nnder these circumstances, are congratulated upon the 

 vast increase of wealth in the country. But how obvi- 

 ous is this delusion. There is no increa.se of wealth in 

 the country by this operation. Unless the lea is export- 

 ed not a dollar is added to the weallh of the country by 

 this result. It is merely taking money from lhe|)ockets 

 of the consumer to put it ijito the pockets of the iinpoi- 

 ter — from the individual ^^ ho buys the tea for use, and 

 giving it to the individual v^lio iinporls lh« lea fitr sale. 



We do not say thai on the [lart of llie hoMers or im- 

 porteis of this arlicle there is any tiling wrong in this 

 matter. Not at all. It is a lawful trade ; and a.-, under 

 various cironnistances, this importation often might 

 .have proved a losing concern, and then the community 

 would have had no pity upon them nor felt bound to in- 

 deiniiifv tlieiii, soon the other hand the) have a perfect 

 right to any advantages which come from u natural rise 

 in the market. 



But it effects -no increase of the weallh of the counlry, 

 TJial can be done only by actual production ; and actual 

 I producti' n is always clear gain. It is inleresling furlher 

 lo remark, what immense sums are squainlered in ihe 

 country upon articles eillier of no intrinsic value, or 

 w.liii^h we ought to produce ourselves Tea is not a ne- 

 cessary of life. It is doubtful whether it contributes at 

 all to the nutrition ol ilia human body, how essential 

 soever habit may have rendered it to the comfort of life. 

 Before the American revolution it was a lu.\ury by no 

 means in common use ; and it is said to be not many 

 years beyond the reiiiembraiice of some now living, that 

 a good woman in the country having received some 

 quarter of a pound of tea, ihoughtthe proper use ol it was 

 lo boil it as greens wilh her salt pork. Now its use 



