190 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 

 WHITE SHANGHAE FOWLS. 



Mil. Editor : In a recent communication to your 

 paper on the " White Shanghaes " it is stated that 

 thcv arc a separate breed of fowls. Will your cor- 

 respondent, or some gentleman versed in feathci-ed 

 genealogy, give lis his authority ? The statements 

 of your correspondent contain several errors in point 

 of i'act, which are likely to mislead those who are 

 interested in fowl-breeding. 



1st. The importation of Capt. A. S. Palmer was 

 made in 18-16, and not in 1848. 



2d. It consisted of eight red Shanghae fowls, and 

 no icJiite ones, and is believed to be the earliest im- 

 portation made, as Capt. Palmer's ship was the third 

 American vessel that visited the port of Shanghae 

 after it was thrown open to American commerce. 



3d. The White Shanghae fowls spoken of as lost 

 by Squire Dixon are purelj- fabulous as a distinct 

 breed. As this stock multijilies, white ones come 

 by laws yet undiscovered, as they do among almost 

 all other races of fowls, however purely bred. 



4th. Squire Dixon's stock is not mongrel, but is as 

 puxo now as when first imported ; so much so, that 

 they are considered by Capt. Palmer equal to an 

 importation made by him this s^jring. The fowls of 

 the Dixon stock grow as large as any of the fresh 

 importations. They are extensively scattered in 

 Ivhode Island, and in the adjoining towns in this 

 state. It is quite common for the farmers to have a 

 Shanghae cock with their common breed of fowls. 

 The cross has very much increased the size and 

 Ciuality of the poultry brought to our markets. 



If there is a distinct species of White Shanghae, 

 it is not known to Capt. Palmer. We venture a 

 prediction that the White Shanghaes mentioned in 

 the communication, if they are pure blood, will turn 

 out some fine red chicks in the course of the sum- 

 mer. STONINGTON. 



Man 30, 18.50. 



Note. — The cn-or as to the date of Capt. Palmer's 

 importation was corrected by Mr. Morse, in our last 

 number. — Ed. 



FARMING ECONOMY. 



Messrs. Editors : Twenty years ago it was a 

 common saying among farmers, that all a man could 

 make in farming was enough to support his family, 

 and, possibly, save a hundred or two hundred dollars 

 a year besides. Farmers Avho held this idea were, 

 no doubt, honest ; they only judged of the profits of 

 farming from their own management. Even now, 

 a great many farmers suppose that in order to make 

 money by farming, they must do all the labor them- 

 selves ; they say they "can't afford to hire help." 

 This is evidently a great mistake, for if the farmer 

 makes his own labor profitable, he could make that 

 so which he hires, under good management, and 

 without that, no labor can be profitable. 



Labor in this country is high, in proportion to 

 ■what it is in older and more populous countries ; but 

 I do not regard this as a subject of regret, for who 

 is " worthy of his hire " if the day-laborer is not ? 

 If the high price of labor operates against the in- 

 terest of some, it tends greatly to improve thcf con- 

 dition of the masses. As a matter of course, the 

 farmer will save as much manual labor as possible, 

 consistent with the pmpcr cultivation of his farm. 



But a great point in farming economy consists in 

 the adoption of labor-saving machines and improved 

 implements. Yet a good deal of hand labor will 

 always be required to carry on fanning advanta- 

 geously. 



The question is often asked whether capital laid 

 out in fai-ming can be made to pay. In reply, I 

 would say, I have known many instances where 

 money laid out in this way has paid well. It is true, 

 that time is required for this result ; but I believe 

 that capital invested in farming need never pay less 

 than six per cent. ; and under good management, it 

 may yield even eight to ten per cent, on the original 

 stock. The culture of fruits — such as apples, pears, 

 peaches, &c. — often yields a profit of eight to fifteen 

 per cent. 



A great barrier to improvement in farming is the 

 erroneous value which farmers often put on money. 

 They seem to think that a dollar is worth much more 

 than its equivalent in wheat, or any agricultural 

 product. This leads them to hoard their cash with 

 scrupulous care, fearing to trust the earth with the 

 loan of a cent — the risk being so much greater, as 

 they say, than on deposits in banks. This difficulty 

 can only be removed by demonstrating to the farmer 

 the certain success of a better system of manage- 

 ment ; which will gradually inspire confidence that 

 labor and money expended on the soil shall not go 

 unrewarded. L. DURAND. 



Derby, Ct., Feb., 1850. 

 — Albany Cultivator. 



BREAKING ROCKS BY FIRE. 



Messrs. Editors : While perusing the February 

 number of the Cultivator, I obsen-ed a statement from 

 one of your correspondents in regard to the manner 

 in which he cleared his land of stones. His mode 

 was to excavate a large hole upon one side of the 

 boulder, and partially under the rock, which he 

 wished to remove, and then roll it in. I think the 

 process might well be replaced by one which is much 

 more economical. Your correspondent obser\'es that 

 it is very hard to drill some "hard-head" rocks — 

 an assertion which I truly confirm, having been en- 

 gaged in the business myself, for weeks in succession, 

 upon my father's farm, in Lewis countj'. New York. 



In 1843, we were clearing a piece of ground of 

 stone by the aid of the drill and powder. One very 

 cold day, a fire was built upon a rock, which was, 

 perhaps, four feet in diameter, near the wall where 

 we were at work. By means of the heat there were 

 large scales loosened on the top of the rock, which 

 were taken off with a crowbar, and used for filling 

 up the centre of the wall. 



Subsequent to this, a fire was built ujion the same 

 rock ; and some time after, the scales being removed, 

 it was ascertained that the rock was broken through 

 in two different directions, dividing it into four nearly 

 equal parts. 



The quarters being left with face sides, fitted them 

 admirably for laying into wall. From this time 

 henceforth, the drill was dispensed with. Experi- 

 ment showed that one man could carry a sufficient 

 quantity of wood to break any rock, which a farmer 

 might be desirous of removing from his fields. An- 

 other great advantage was, that wood of little value, 

 such as old pieces of rails, stumps, and the like, 

 might be used with advantage and economy. 



There is one point which must not be neglected, if 

 success is expected ; that is, to keep the rock clear 

 of shells while heating. To do this with facility, the 

 tools required are a sharp iron crowbar, and a pair 

 of large tongs. As soon as any shells are found to 

 have started up, the fire should be removed with the 

 tongs, and the scales carefully taken off with the bar. 

 This is the only secret in the jjrocess. The object 

 is, that the heat may bo applied directly to the solid 

 rock. The fire should then be replaced witli the 

 tongs, and so on until the stone is broken. Tluowing 

 oil cold water is superfluous. 



