1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



263 



to say to St. Louis. So of freight ; we some- 

 times pay more from Honolulu to Makawao, than 

 from Boston to Honolulu, via Cape Horn. All in 

 good time this evil will be remedied, if things 

 shall continue prosperous. 



December 22nd, 1857. 

 Let me add a few items of intelligence from 

 the islands, and forward my communication. I 

 have more to say on the subject of farming, its 

 great importance here, and every where ; but I 

 may not take hold of that subject, particularly in 

 its bearing on whalers, in this communication. I 

 may make it a topic for winter, if spared. In the 

 meantime, I hope you will present every motive 

 in your power to induce all of our people, and 

 particularly the young men of our country, to re- 

 main at home, and engage in plowing the fields, 

 rather than tempt the dangers of the deep, and 

 plow the ocean ; or try their fortune in the mines of 

 California. Early in the year, two young men, sons 

 of missionaries at the islands, obtained a reluc- 

 tant leave of their parents, and going to Califor- 

 nia, tried their hand at mining. One of them 

 gave out after a few weeks, and sought his island 

 home. The other held on awhile longer, suffered 

 a good deal of hardship, and some sickness, 

 made nothing, and finally left, fully satisfied with 

 his experience in the gold-digging line. Good 

 will result from the expei'ience of these boys, good 

 to themselves and good to other boys of the mis- 

 sion. The state of things at the mines is truly 

 deplorable. No Sabbath — no God — no hope — is 

 true of a vast majority of the wretched men who 

 congregate in that wretched land. How infatua- 

 ted are the men and youth who leave a New Eng- 

 land home for the country of gold, thus putting 

 in jeopardy their every interest, and hazarding 

 their undying souls. The Lord save our country- 

 men from this egregious folly. 



Yours truly, J. S. Green. 



P. S. Not long since the Royal Hawaiian Agri- 

 cultural Society had a meeting which the newspa- 

 pers called the annual meeting, though a year and a 

 half had passed since the last meeting and fair, 

 with the annual address. Judging from appear- 

 ances, I think it may be safely concluded that the 

 society, as an agricultural society, is defunct.—- 

 True it lives nominally, and officers were chosen 

 for the next year, but I see no list of committees, 

 nor subjects for discussion for another annual 

 meeting, nor do I see that the society adjourned 

 either sine die or otherwise. James F. 13. Mar- 

 shall, Esq., the retiring President, delivered an 

 address, not particularly interesting, I judge from 

 reading it, but as able perhaps as could have 

 been expected from one Avho perhaps thought 

 himself pronouncing a funeral oration over the 

 remains of the society. I could give some half a 

 dozen causes for the decease of the society, or 

 for its change to a kind of seed, fruit and plant 

 society. One cause may be seen in the material 

 of which the society was '"^imposed. Mr. Marshall 

 tells the story in a few words. On examination, 

 he found it thus on a list of members : Of the 

 whole number 216 : of these were 55 merchants 

 and traders ; 44 government officers, 24 clerks, 

 20 missionaries and clergymen; 16 mechanics; 

 7 officers of foreign governments ; 6 hotel keep- 

 ers ; 6 physicians ; 5 sea-captains ; 5 lawyers ; 2 

 school-masters ; 4 editors ; 1 traveller — 195 non- 



agriculturists, and 10 grazers and 11 planters 

 and farmers — but 21 practical agriculturists in 

 all. Who csn wonder that a society composed of 

 such materials should cease to feel an interest in 

 the pi'ofessed object of such a society ? Had the 

 216 men who were members of the society been 

 agriculturists, or a majority of them, the results 

 of their labors and deliberations since 1850 would 

 have been very different, I judge. Another cause 

 I find in the want of variety in subjects selected 

 and given out to committees at one meeting, to 

 be written upon and read at the next meeting. 

 Nearly the same subjects were committed to com- 

 mittees each year of the society's existence. No 

 variety, no advance ; so that reports became stale. 

 The fair had considerable interest for two or 

 three years, and some degree of interest while 

 they continued. So also the annual addresses, 

 which M'ere not commonly given to working-men 

 who took a lively interest in the society, but 

 more frequently to foreign officials who knev/ lit- 

 tle of agriculture, and less of the islands — these 

 called out an audience ; but the dissertations 

 however important or interesting they might 

 have been, were commonly read to nearly empty 

 seats. Some few even at Honolulu took an in- 

 terest in the society. The late Judge Lee seemed 

 to have his heart much set upon the success of 

 the experiment which was being made in agricul- 

 ture among us. Had this excellent man enjoyed 

 health, I doubt not he would have held on to the 

 society, and done still more than he did, for its 

 prosperity. But he could not sustain it alone. 

 I hope it has done good. Some six or eight num- 

 bers of the Annual Transactions of the society 

 were printed and distributed among the members 

 of the society, and perhaps sent abroad. In good 

 time, another society, or other societies may 

 spring up from the I'uins of the old one, compos- 

 ed of more practical men — materials, if not bet- 

 ter, certainly of more homogeneous character. 

 We shall see in good time. 



Things with us much as usual. Some commer- 

 cial embarrassment, but nothing A'ery serious at 

 present. 



Your fellow-laborer in the cause of agriculture. 



J. S. Green. 



For Vie A>!c England Farmer. 

 MANURES FOB INDIAN" COKN. 



The paper on this subject, lately given to the 

 public in the Country Gentleman, by Mr. Harris, 

 of Rochester, N. Y., is truly instructive. He 

 states things just as they come to his observa- 

 tion, without regard to preconceived theories. 

 This is the only just way of acquiring or commu- 

 nicating knowledge. 



I am truly surprised at the little benefit derived 

 from the use of ashes of wood. There is no fer- 

 tilizer sought with more avidity, or used with 

 more success in this vicinity. Ashes have been 

 found valuable for corn, and also for root crops 

 generally, to which they have been applied. So 

 great has been the success in the use of ashes, 

 that no one despaired of a good crop, when they 

 could command a full supply. Of the compara- 

 tive value of ashes, leached or unleached, I have 

 heard various opinions. They are used in greater 

 quantities, on our lands, after they have been 



