202 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JAN. 3, 18^8.1 



information desired, iind all the iuformation, wliich 

 could he easily ohtaiiied. An individual, who 

 could have spoken in such cases from his own 

 positive and ample experience, mij;ht have ven- 

 tured upon a diflercnt tone ; hut it certainly would 

 in most disputable points have heen ill-advised in 

 one circumstanced as he was. 



It is to the hif,'liest credit of his character as an 

 Editor of a public paper, eminently calculaied for 

 general usefu ness and adapted to family rending, 

 that it was never made offensive hy any political, 

 or if the application of the term may he allowed, 

 by any religious rancour; nor do we recollect an 

 instance in which its pages were ever polluted hy 

 a word, a seniimcnt, and what is still more dan- 

 gerous and iletcstahle, an nlliisiou or equhoqut, 

 which would give pain or raise a hlush in the 

 most delicate and fastidious. To industry, pru- 

 dence, frugality, temperance, and uprightness, to 

 excellence in the practical arts of life, to the s|)ir- 

 ited and intelligent improveinent of the great art, 

 the basis of all public prosperity and national 

 wealth ami advancement, .Agriculture, its pages 

 were constantly and excUi.sively devoted. It may 

 be safely added, that no single agent in the com- 

 munity, has done more, and few instrument.", 

 where indeed many agencies were corni>ine<J, have 

 done so much, to awaken agricultural enquiry ; 

 to extend agricultural improvement; and to forward 

 those valual)le and beneficent advances in this 

 gieat art, which have taken place within the last 

 quarter of a centm'y,a3 the New England Farmer. 

 We part therefore with our revered friend, 

 since the appointments of an unerring Providence 

 have so decreed, with sentiments of deep and affec- 

 tionate respect. We will cherish his memory as 

 the memory of an eminent and public spirited 

 benefactor to the community ; and we deem it not 

 Among the least of his benefactions that he gave 

 to all who knew him a fine example of kindness 

 of temper and amenity of manners; of iiitlixible 

 truth and integrity in word and deed ; of untiring 

 industry, and of wise moderation, simplicity, and 

 frugality ; and above all of the active, uniform, 

 and hearty ilevotion of fine taUmts, good learning, 

 . and generous afiections to purposes of general, 

 ■ practical, and permanc nt utility. H. C. 



Jun. 1, 1838. 



[For tlie New England Farmer-] * 



THE NEW YEAR. 



At the commencement of the year we beg leave 

 to offer to our Patrons and friends not what are 

 coinmoidy termed tlie " compliments of the sea- 

 son " for we do not mcaii them as cofupliments ; 

 hut our sincere wishes for their health, enjoyment, 

 and welfare. Above ad we wisli them health of 

 conscience, the perfect enjoyment ol the fruits of 

 honest industry, skill, and enterprise ; and the 

 welfare, which, in our happy country, every good 

 man may find in moderate desires, in temperate 

 habits, in ji sufficiency of food, clothing, fuel, and 

 shelter; in good neighborhood, kiiul friends, ami 

 affectionate and dutiful cliildren ; in domestic and 

 public peace; in wholesome and equal laws; in 

 civil and religious liberty ; and especially in be- 

 (levolent afiections towards men, anil grateful, con- 

 tented, and pious sentiments towards Heaven. — 

 Tliese are the wishes, which we sincerely lender 

 them at this charming season of kind congratula- 

 tions ; and tliese blessings ulider n beneficent 

 Providence are every wher«( accessible to those, 

 >vlio will properly seek them. 



The year, that has just closed, has been full of 

 singular and memorable events. The preceding 

 year was pronounced a year of the greatest pros- 

 perity, which the country has ever known — the 

 year that has just closed one of signal adversity. 

 We speak particularly of the commercial woild — 

 indeed tlie whole world seemed to have become 

 commercial; and the spirit of speculation was so 

 active and universal, and the thirst for gain li.id 

 become so e.vcited by the rise in the valuation of 

 every kind of property, and !iy the trum| eted ex- 

 amples of the most extraonlininy ac(|iiisiti(in of 

 wealth, that men of every descri|ition anil prof s- 

 sion, mechanics, farmers, schoolmasters, retired 

 gentlemen, physicians, lawyers, clergymen, and 

 even women were rushing breathless into the 

 arena in one general scran. b!e. I'lris wr think 

 was misealleil a year of prosperity ; when the 

 foundations of the great ilcep seemed to lie bro- 

 ken up; every vessel appeared to be loosed from 

 her moorings; all seemed nt a loss, where to di- 

 rect their course the prosp.cts of wealth rose in 

 such gilded visions before • their minds; ccm- 

 tentment was at an end; patient labor \\;is 

 what no man thought of; model ate g:nns were 

 looked upon with contempt. No sober, reflecting, 

 and experienced pei'son can question the uuhcallli- 

 iness of such a condition of the public mind. — 

 Property changed hands with the ra))idity with 

 which a juggler changes his cards Then; was 

 no real creation of weallli. We were even im- 

 porting to an immense amount our own bread stuff; 

 to say nothing of twenty-three millions of dollars 

 worth of silk; and other superfluities and luxuries 

 to an enormous extent. 



We have said there was no creation of wealth. 

 Production the only source of real wealth was 

 every where declining. The value of |;roperty 

 was continually rising. Men seemed to be grow- 

 ing rich at a rate beyond even their most feverisli 

 dreams. What vvas supposed likewise to repre- 

 sent this wealth was in abundance ; the commu- 

 nity was flooded with hank bills ; and men, who 

 all their lives, had been content to count by hun- 

 dreds, were now satisfied to count only by hun- 

 dreds of thousamls. \Ve are satisfied that before 

 this time much projierty had been undervalued ; 

 — but it was as clear tl at much of it was now 

 overvalued ; and that that, which vvas baseless, 

 must vanish as the fabric of a dream. 'J he re- 

 verse was at hand. The laws of divine Provi- 

 dence cannot lie violated with impunity ; iind an 

 inordinate cupidity stimulated to the very top of 

 its speed, lias received its just retribution. The 

 distresses of the commercial world were at one 

 time at their height ; credit, which had heen ex- 

 tended to a most perilous and ruinous degree, was 

 nearly extinct ; the most astounding and iifflctive 

 bankruptcies ensued ; speculation was dreadfully 

 rebuked ; and business every wliere received a 

 shock, from wliich, pi'rhaps, it cannot recover for 

 years, in the universal suspension of specie pay- 

 ments by the lianking institutions throughout the 

 country. 



'1 he direct and most salutary effect of all this 

 has been to turn men from necessity to the whole- 

 some pursuits of labor ; and to give increased 

 attention and value to agriculture, as among the 

 most healthy, safe, and certain means of subsis- 

 tence, comfort, and independence. Men worn 

 down with the harassing vexations and perils of 

 speculation and trade, liave given their attention 

 to the calm [lursuits of Husbandry with a relief 



and satisfaction, which will prompt to its contit 

 aiice ; and with a sjiirit, curiosity, and into 

 geiice, which will conduce most essentially to 

 respectability and improvement. We have 

 hesitation in saying that within our o«n obser 

 tion more waste land has l>een redeemed or | 

 ill the way of improvement ; and more land II 

 been ciiltivaied, or put in the way of being cm 

 vated the coining season, within the last ya 

 than li'is been done in. the Commonwealth a 

 three or five years preceding within our niema 

 This is mainly the effect of the great reverses! 

 business the last year. We do not ascribei 

 wholly to this, and design to speak of other cam 

 hereafter. But this is a prominent cause in I 

 improvement, which has taken place. If t 

 effect should, as it promises to do, continue to ( 

 low and to extend itself, we shall liave occas: 

 to hiok back upon the year which has just closi 

 as one, not of adversity, but of singular felicii 

 and shall have new occasion gratefully to ad' 

 that kind Providence, which turns man's foil 

 and vices into sources of happiness, and means 

 beneficence. H. C 



January 1, 1S3S. 



The Sun Flower. — The Sun Flower is a pi 

 of much greater value than is generally knoi 

 Instead of a few being permitted to grace a |: 

 terre, and considered only as a gaudy flower, 

 perience warrants n:y saying it .should he cu 

 vated by every planter and farmer as part of 

 provision crop. It can be turned to profitable 

 count on all our plai.tntions ; for certain purpo 

 it is more valuable than any other grain kno 

 to us ; inasmuch as it can be made to yield m 

 to the acre in exhausted soil, with little labor,i 

 with greater prospect of success. 



Its seed are wholesome and nutritious food 

 poultry, cattle and hogs, and very much relist 

 by them. 



From the seed an oil is obtained, with great 

 cility, a« delicate, it is believed, as that of olive 



'] hey are also pectoral. A tea tiia lu of th 

 is quite as effective as flaxseed, or any other, 

 catarrhal afiections. < >n one occasion, this 

 sweetened with honey, was of so much mure s 

 vice to me than the prescriptions of my physici 

 that I attributed my early restoration to health 

 its agency alcne. Certainly a favorable cliai 

 dill not occur until ! used this tea, which I ' 

 upon the recommendation of a citizen of oicj 

 the upper counties of North Carolina. 



Its leaves and stalks, in thi^ green state, are |il 

 ferred by cattle to any other provender. 1 In 

 thrown green grass and fodder in one heap, i 

 sun flower leaves in the otiiei', to try the cat 

 and they have commenced eating the latter fin 

 this I huvi; tried often with the same result. 1\ 

 whole plant, cut up in the green state, and boi) 

 with cottnh seed, or a little meal, afl'ords a <1 

 ciiius food for cattle and hogs. To be convini, 

 of this, let one taste the l)riiised leaves or stalk 

 the plant ; he will find its flavor aromatic like t, 

 of the parsnip, with more sweetness. — iSotlW; 

 JlsricuHuiiit. ' \ 



It is said that where wood is required to 1)6 

 great hardness and smoothness, as it soinetitliei 

 for mechanical purposes, that boiling it foray 

 minutes in olive oil, will give that desired pi 

 ty. Such wood is particularly adapted fo| 

 wheels of blocks or pulleys. 



