124 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Nov. 2, 1831. 



Agricult u r a 1 



REPORTS 



OfCommitlees at the Annual Meeting of the Bristol 

 Agrieullural Society. 



ON AGRICULTURE. 



The Committee on Agiiciiltiire are impressed 

 with the fact, that tlie efforts which hnve been 

 made to improve the uselul arts, are greatly dis- 

 proportioned to their relative importance. If it 

 were not so— if the progress of each liad been 

 according to its utility, it is quite certain that Ag- 

 riculture, which is the basis of all the other arts, 

 and the oldest of all, the one which employs three 

 fourths at least of nearly every civilized country, 

 would now be in advance of all others. It might 

 be e.xpected too, that it would everywhere engross 

 most of the public attention and interest. The 

 Mechanic arts, however necessary and useful, are 

 subordinate to this. To little purpose, indeed, 

 •would manufactories, labor-saving machines, 

 steam engines or ships, be constructed, if the cul- 

 tivation of the earth were abandoned. In this, in 

 a word, is found the aliment vvliich vivifies and 

 sustains all the other arts. Yet, with this fact, 

 apparent and acknowledged improvement in agri- 

 culture has always been comparatively tardy even 

 iu countries where it has been or is now most 

 cherished. In the U. States, it is but a few years 

 since public opinion would suffer any attempt to 

 alter the ordinary and accustomed modes of hus- 

 bandry. A more auspicious sentiment now pre- 

 vails. It has been demonstrated that soils possess 

 essentially different properties, each adapted to 

 the growth of some grain or vegetable and unsuit- 

 able for others ; that a greater variety of manures 

 than was formerly known suited to different soils, 

 may be made and distributed with profit ; that 

 breeds are advantageously changed or mixed ; 

 that fruits may be increased in variety and im- 

 proved in quality almost without limit and with 

 little cost ; in a word, that the capabilities of the 

 earth for production have been, and even now 

 probably are, but imperfectly known. .To deve- 

 lope them, the efforts of the patrons of agriculture 

 will be always especially directed. 



The committee are gratified in being able to 

 • state, that the products which it has fallen within 

 their duty to examine, afford evidence that the work 

 of agricultural improvement is begun, and indeed 

 considerably advanced in this vicinity. The quan- 

 tity of cheese offered is greater than has been 

 exhibited in several years. In quality also, it has 

 not in the opinion of the Committee, often, if at 

 any time, been exceeded. Several lots for which 

 premiums could not under the regular terms of 

 the Society, be awarded, would at other exhibi- 

 tions probably, have procured the bounty of the 

 Society. 



The Cutter was less in quantity than has been 

 exhibited at some past exhibitions. For the most 

 part, it was well worthy of exhibition, furnishing 

 very satisfactory evidence of skill and neatness in 

 the dairies at which it was manufactured. 



Three lots of honey were presented, differing 

 very little in quality. According to the regula- 

 tions of the Society, therefore, the premiums are 

 awarded with regard to quantity manufactured by 

 the applicants. As two premiiuns only are offer- 

 ed for honey, the third applicant having the least 

 quantity is without any claim on the bounty of 

 the Society. As the honey offered by him was 

 of a quality to warrant a premium under other 



circumstances, and some improvement also in the 

 method of raising bees having been cotnmuni- 

 cated by him, the Committee were of opinion 

 that he is entitled to a gratuity and have accor- 

 dingly so awarded. 



The premiums awarded are as follows : 



FOR BUTTER. 



1st premium to Jacob Dean, Mansfield, 

 2d do. Peter Thatcher, Attleboro' 

 3d do. Joseph Dean, Taunton, 



FOR CHEESE. 



1st premium to Seth Hodges, Norton 

 2d do. Edward Leonard, Raynham, 

 3d do. Joseph Dean, Taunton, 



FOR HONEY. 



1st premium to Wm. Stearns, Mansfield 

 2d do. Simeon Green, Mansfield, 

 Gratuity to Jacob Shepard, Norton, 



A gratuity of two dollars is awarded to Doct. 

 Samuel Dean, of Easitm, for a quantity of sweet 

 potatoes raised and offered by him for exhibition. 

 No premium is provided for this product. In ap- 

 pearance they resemble more nearly than is usual- 

 ly seen potatoes of a southern growth. — Doct. 

 Dean states that from five hills he obtained (he 

 present season two bushels and a peck of potatoes 

 of a size and quality similar to those exhibited. 



There is in the county of Bristol and in llie 

 whole of the old Colony, a large proportion of 

 soil well adapted to the production of this rsot. 

 Dry, warm and sandy land, often of little vilue 

 for other products, appears to be best suited for 

 this. Another fact should encourage the culijva- 

 tion of them — the crop is bountiful and raised at 

 small expense. 



They are beyond any doubt the natural proilnct 

 of a more southern and warmer climate than tliat 

 of New England, and consequently they depreci- 

 ate somewhat in being transplanted here. It is 

 necessary, therefore, in order to preserve their 

 quality, to obtain, yearly, slips (which are the 

 smallest of the potatoes and of little value for 

 anything but planting) from Carolina. These 

 may be procured in the Spring at Boston and 

 perhaps other places in New England, at trifling 

 cost. 



The premiums for grain and vegetable crops 

 will, according to the published regulations of the 

 Society, be awarded on the first Weilnesdav of 

 March next; at which time a second Report, or 

 the completion of the one now made may be ex- 

 pected from the Committee. 



Jacoi! Chapin, '\ 



Horatio Leonard, r Commit- 

 Ellis Hall, ( tee. 



Cromwell Leonard, j 



ON WHITE MnLBERRY TREES. 



The Committee on WHITE MULBERRV 

 TREES, have attended to the service assigned 

 them and submit the following Report : — 



There were seven competitors for premiums by 

 persons living in different parts of the County. 

 In the whole there were entered 19,458 trtcs, 

 of which number there were in the judgment of ihe 

 committee only about 900 fit for transplanting to 

 the place where tliey are finally to stand ; the 

 greatest number being merely plants, the growth 

 of one season, and very nnich crowded together. 



Your Committee are of opinion that Mulberry 

 Plants of one or two years' growth ought not to 

 be considered as trees in the present case. — One 

 ounce of mulberry seed will, perhaps, produce 



10 or 12 thousand plants, on a very stnall piece of 

 ground ; and these without further cultivation 

 would be of no use whatever. The plants shoulil 

 be taken up after the first year's growth, headed 

 down, the tap root removed, and placed in rows 

 in the nursery 3 or 4 feet apart, and 10 or 12 

 inches from plant to plant in the rows. By this 

 process in three or four years they will probably 

 be fit to remove to the place in which they are de- 

 sired to stand. The object of offering a premium on 

 any number of mulberry trees is the public good 

 aiul not merely private interest. Should any person 

 receive a premium for any number of plants rais- 

 ed from seed sown the previous spring, he might 

 neglect a further cultivation of them, all of which 

 would in this case be lost, and the connnunity re- 

 ceive no benefit. It is presumed, that in the list 

 of premiums for 1830, the meaning of ' having 

 in a course of cultivation, and in the most thrifly 

 condition^ is that the trees shall be thrifty, of goou 

 size, and fit to be transplanted into an orchard 

 where they are to stand. 



Rescom Hart of Digliton, had 210 trees, four 

 years old, from 8 to 9 feet in height, and very 

 thrifty. Also 371 of three years' growth from S 

 to 8 feet high ; the whole under fine cultivation 

 and fit for transplanting, besides 90 of 4 years' 

 growth lately set out on his farm. Your Com- 

 mittee award to him the first premium, the sum 

 of 15 dollars. 



John Macomber of Westport, had about 200 

 trees fit for transplanting, some of which were 6J 

 feet in height, thrifty and under good cultivation, 

 besides a considerable niunber lately sold. Your 

 Committee award to him the second premium, Ihe 

 sum of 10 dollars. 



Your Committee regret, that from the youth, 

 size or manner of cultivation of the plants of the 

 other competitors, tbey cannot recommend n pre- 

 mium. 



RoLAKD Green, > 

 Alfred Baylies, ) 



Committee. 



Carolina Potatoes. — The Editor of the Essex 

 Gazette has been furnished with a sample of eight 

 or ten bushels of sweet potatoes, raised in the gar- 

 den of the Rev. Mr Perry of Bradford. They are 

 as large and equal in all particulars to the im- 

 ported. We see nothing in the way of a general 

 cultivation of this valuable root in this region ; and 

 should be glad of the introduction of many south- 

 ern radical notions ; always excepting nullifica- 

 tion. — Salem Register. 



Let every farmer divide his pasture ground as 

 he pleases. Let the fence between his arable and 

 pasture land be as strong as an external fence. 

 But, if possible, let all his arable ground, though it 

 be an hundred acres, be in one lot. Then his 

 plough runs clear, in a long furrow. His tillage 

 is divided only by the different species of grain 

 and vegetables he cultivates. There are no fences 

 of consequence, no inconvenient and worthless head 

 lands ; no apology for thistles and nettles. The 

 scene is beautiful to the eye. The whole has the 

 appearance of a garden, and begets to the farmer a 

 sort of horticullura! neatness. — Gardeners' Jour. 



JVtw Lamp Oil.-— Mr Isaac Pmith, of Virginia, 

 has made a discovery, by which he is able to ren- 

 der castor oil equal to the best winter spermaceti, 

 for burning in lamps. The oil prepared for burn- 

 ing will cost about 36 cents a gallon. 



