286 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JIAKCH 14, IS38. 



AND gardener's JOURNAL. 



Boston, Wbdsesday, March 14, 1838. 



NEW YORK AGRICULTURE 

 We publish in this week's farmer the spienli uf Dr. J. 

 P. Beekman uf Kindcrliook, N. Y. President of the 

 New York Agricultural Convention, a gentleman who 

 yields to no other in agiicultural skill, intelligence, and 

 zeal. We shall proceed to give other of their proceed- 

 ings and report, which have been forwarded to us in an 

 Extra Cultivator. N. York agriculture and IVlassachusetts 

 agriculture are intimately allied. We should be glad to 

 keep the chain of connexion between us always strong 

 and bright ; and are persuaded that the best etfects must 

 result from a Knickerbocker and a Yankee cros^. Mere- 

 ly geographical distinctions are the last of all lines which 

 should divide men ; and we consider it as evincin<> a 

 liighminded liberality on both sides, in the Berkshire 

 Agricultural Society the last autumn availing itself and 

 being permitted to avail itself ol the public s-rvices of 

 that eminent friend to agricultural improvement the edi- 

 tor of the Cultivator ; and in honoring with a handsome 

 gratuity the public spirited ellorts of another zealous 

 friend of agriculture, C. N. Bemen.t of Albany, who con- 

 tributed to the interest of the Show by the exhibition of 

 some of his improved stock. 



Two objects seem particularly to have attracted the 

 attention of the New Yoik Agricultural Convention. 

 One was the establishment of county agricultural socie- 

 ties, with endowments » hicU should enable them to hold 

 shows and bestow premiums, and the other, the estab- 

 lishment of experimental farms. 



With respect to the former, the establishment of coun- 

 ty societies, who should hold annual shows and have the 

 means of distributing premiums, as far as the experience 

 of Massachusetts goes, no measure would conduce more, 

 or more immediately to agricultural improvement. They 

 create a strong interest on the subject They bring the 

 farmers together, and make ihem acquainted with each 

 other and with each other's improvements. They lead 

 to the exhibition of the best stock owned in the district; 

 and publish its history and management. They excite a 

 strong emulation to excel ; and produce a competition 

 which is wholesome and unattended with any ill-feelings 

 or resentments. They serve in this way to inrreafethe 

 crops and improvements. They lead to the introduction 

 of the best live stock. They induce experiments, de- 

 termining oftentimes the most important inquiries. They 

 create a self-respect in the class of firmers which ren- 

 ders their profession the more respectable ; and in one 

 form and another, they diffuse a great amount of valuable 

 agricultural inlornnation. In the experience of 

 Massachusetts the stale has been requitid ten /old 

 fir every dollar which it has bestowed in boi-nties upon 

 the state and county societies. 



No agricultural society ought to hold a show without 

 at the same time holding a ploughing match. These 

 contests have done an immense service in improving 

 the implement itself and the management of it. Much 

 in both these respects remains to be done. We know 

 no sight more beautifil than to see, in an open and 

 Clearfield, twenty teams in good condition, well equip, 

 ped, and with manly, spirited ploughmen, and drivers as 

 well conditioned and equipped, starting in this competi- 

 tion without noise, without confusion, without passion, 

 without any of tho betting spirit of gamblers, and each 

 proud of his team and striving for success, which is 

 made to depend on llic excellence of work and tho good 



condition in which the ploughman brings out his cattle 

 at the close of the contest. The effects of such compe. 

 titions have been of the hitjhest benefit to the agricultu- 

 ral community. Any person who will compare one ol 

 the most improved modern ploughs in point of lightness 

 of draft, case of li;indling, and manner of performing the 

 work with a plough of former tines, and the neai 

 manner in which ploughing is now often executed, com- 

 pared with in execution thirty years ago, will need no 

 argument to convince him of the importance and ulility 

 of these ploughing matches, to which mainly these im- 

 provements are to lie credited . 



The efforts of a Society however to be effectual in 

 these cases must be seconded by the state ; and they 

 must have the means of bestowing liberal and honorable 

 premiums. In this matter all that ought to be asked of 

 the state should he toencourage liberally the effnrts of in- 

 dividuals. Whenever a county sociely has been formed 

 in Massachusetts, the society upon showing that it has 

 raised funds for the benefit of agriculture in the county 

 to the amount of one thousand dollars and set them apart 

 for that use, is then allowed two hundred dollars from 

 the State Treasury ; and so on for every thousand dol- 

 lars so raised, provided however that no society shall in 

 any case receive an amount from the stale exceeding 

 six hundred dollars, which amount they are bouftd to 

 bestow in premiums and make returns to the Secretary 

 ofthe State of their appropriation of this gratuity. 



There is another matter, which ought always to be 

 connected with these shows, and that is an exhibition 

 of dairy produce, agriculluial implements, and of house- 

 hold manufactures. Some have added the exhibition of 

 vegetables, fruits and flowers, all which have given in- 

 terest to the occasion. There is great reason likewise 

 in doing this, in that we secure the patronage and inter- 

 est of our wives andd.ughters and the whole female 

 community. They most certainly have a deep concern 

 in agricultural and domestic improvemenls upon whose 

 handiwork and good housewifery depend so entirely 

 the comforts of our homes. They ought to have every 

 encouragement to come forward with the producis of 

 their needles, their spinning wheels, their looms, their 

 dairies, their poultry yards and their cocooneries, and to 

 be candidates for a liberal share of the premiums. We 

 have been always delighted to see them at such public 

 exhibitions, and we shall here take occasion to protest 

 against a piece of neglect and ill-manners, in which il 

 is high time for a reformation. We mean that of exclud- 

 ing tliem from the public tabic. Provision should be 

 made fi.r them, as much as for any other portion of the 

 assembly ; and now since we have left off the disgrace- 

 ful practice of intoxicating liquors and Bacchanalian 

 carousals, there is no reason why such occasions should 

 not be honored and gladdened by their presence. 



There is every reason to desire therefore that our 

 public spirited brethren of the Empire State should suc- 

 ceed in their application for legislative aid in the estab- 

 lishment of county agricultural societies and shows. It 

 is a common concern in which no party spirit, no local 

 politics, and no miserably small, mean and selfish views 

 should be permitted to intermingle. Let the grant of 

 the slate bo as liberal as under any circumstances it is 

 likely to be, the avails will much more them compen- 

 sate for the expenditure ; and prove an invr-stment even 

 more profitable in its ultimate results, though not of so 

 exact .ascertainment, than the cost of the Erir; Canal. Of 

 the plan of experimental farms, we shall have so .icthing 

 to say on a future occasion. 



NEW YORK FARMER. 



We are glad to hail the revival ofthe New York Far- 

 mer after a condition of suspended aniination sinee Sep- 

 tember list, from which wo had our fears one time, thai 

 it might not be recovered. It has heretofore been a 

 publication of sterling value ; and has diffused a large 

 amount of valuable information. The present number 

 is full of useful matter. We most heartily wish its en- 

 terprising proprietors in all their useful undertakings a 

 success e°qual to their merits. Mr Minor was a severe 

 sufferer by the dreadful fire in New York ; and with a 

 ship completely diinasted it has been extremely difficult 

 even to keep afloat, much less to make any headway in 

 a heavy sea, and in that continual darkness and storm, 

 which have hung over the city and the country within 

 ihii last gloomy year. But come what may, if the mtiat 

 devoted industry, public spirited enterprise, and he- 

 roic perseverance against adverse fortune deserve and 

 can ensure success, he must have it. We presume his 

 Railroad Journal and Jlechanics Magazine are also re- 

 suiied. 



LARGE BEEF. 



The meat of two oxen fatted by Samuel Sweetser of 

 Athol. Worcester Co. Mass. is now hanging in the 

 stall of Mr Holden in Faneuil Hall market; and well 

 worth looking at by persons interested in such products. 

 They were of the native breed, and have been owned 

 by Mr Sweetser about a year, during which lime ihejr 

 have been carefully fed. The particulars of their feed- 

 ing, we have not been able to ascertain. The live 

 weight ofthe two was 5'iOO lbs. ihe dead weight as sub- 

 joined. 



Hide 108 120 



Tallow 200 172 



r422 408 



360 354 



Quarters -! ^,7 414 



l.3(i9 



1876 

 Total, 



353 

 1821 



3697 lbs. 



The Governor has appointed Thursday the 5th day of 

 April to be observed as a day of Humiliation, Fasting- 

 and Prayer throughout this State. 



We received some time since from our highly re* 

 specled correspondent,Anlhony Day, Esq. of New Yorkl 

 some letters respecting an important discovery made ir 

 England in the manufacture of Beel Sugar. By ihii 

 operation the material can be put in a condition to b( 

 manufactured at any season of the year : and, instead 0. 

 five 01 SIX, twelve per cent of sugar is obtained from th< 

 raw vegetable. The discovery is patented, dan remain! 

 a secret. A company with large funds has been forme* 

 for the prosecution ofthe business and seventy thousafli 

 pounds sterling were offered to the inventor for his dis 

 covery. He demanded i>ne hundred thousand pounds 

 which have since been given to him in cash, and ii 

 shares in the company, which has been formed. Thi 

 douceur is ^jenormous ; and if it proves nothing else, i 

 clearly establishes the confidence of the company in thij 

 success ol the invention, and Iheir conviction of its im^ 

 mense importance. These papers were at once laid b| 

 fore the public by the Agricultural Commissioner in hil 

 address before the Legislature ; and we design to plac 



them or extracts from them in our columns at an earl 



I 

 date. , I 



In 1826 there were 89 Beet Sugar manufactories i 

 France. There are at this time 542, and 39 in the cours 

 of building. The total amount of sugar produced th 

 last year was 90,000,000 lbs. We have these statemcm 

 from authentic sources. 

 The profits are estimated 

 In France at 30 per cent on capital, 



